India to buy missiles worth £350 million from U.K.
Britain announced on Thursday it had concluded a £350-million ($468 million) deal with India to supply lightweight multirole missile (LMM) systems to the Indian Army as part of efforts to forge a broader complex weapons partnership.
The development came during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai for a meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, and defence and security cooperation was a key part of their discussions.
The two leaders met as a UK carrier strike group participated in the Konkan 2025 exercise with the Indian Navy in the waters off the country’s western coast.
A statement from Britain’s defence ministry said the contract envisages the delivery of air defence missiles and launchers, made by Thales at Belfast in Northern Ireland, to the Indian Army.
The deal will give a significant boost to the British defence industry and secure 700 jobs at a factory that currently makes the same weapons for Ukraine.
The statement described India as a key strategic partner and said: “The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments.”