NEW DELHI, — India has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the United States to procure the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.
The initial agreement is valued at an estimated $45.7 million. The package includes 100 FGM-148 Javelin missiles, one additional “fly-to-buy” evaluation missile and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU). It also covers support equipment, simulation rounds, training materials, technical manuals, spare parts and lifecycle support.
The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi welcomed the signing, saying the agreement reflects the growing U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership and creates opportunities for greater cooperation between the two countries' defence industries.
U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the agreement demonstrates U.S. support for the Indian Army and creates opportunities for the two defence industries to work together. He also highlighted the potential for cooperation to strengthen the defence industrial bases of both countries.
The Javelin, produced by the Javelin Joint Venture between RTX and Lockheed Martin, is a man-portable, medium-range, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile. It uses an imaging infrared seeker and can operate in top-attack and direct-attack modes. The system is designed to engage armoured vehicles and fortified positions.
The signing also opens the possibility of future co-production in India. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has previously signed an agreement with the Javelin Joint Venture to explore opportunities for manufacturing the missile system in India.
The U.S. State Department had earlier approved a possible sale covering the same core Javelin package and associated equipment. With the LOA now signed, India becomes a customer of the Javelin system, while discussions on broader industrial cooperation can continue.
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