Blitz India Business
NEW DELHI: India has signed a deal with the US for the acquisition of Javelin antitank guided missile systems for the Indian Army. This marks India’s formal entry as a customer of the famed shoulder-fired weapon even as both countries work towards its eventual joint production in India.
The Javelin is a manportable anti-tank missile system jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and RTX for use against armoured targets. The US and allied forces have widely deployed the system.
The United States is upbeat about India’s decision to purchase the Javelin antitank guided missile system. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has said that the system could be co-produced in India in the future.
“The United States welcomes the Indian Army’s signing of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the purchase of the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system through the US Foreign Military Sales process. The milestone reflects the enduring partnership between the US and Indian Armed Forces. It opens the door for future collaboration between the US and Indian defence industries,” the US Embassy in India posted.
“This agreement reflects a defence partnership that is growing deeper, more capable, and more consequential,” Gor was quoted as saying by the embassy.
New opportunities for our defence “The Javelin agreement demonstrates the depth of US support for the Indian Army and creates new opportunities for our defence industries to work together. We see tremendous potential for future cooperation that strengthens the defence industrial bases of both countries,” the embassy quoted the ambassador as saying.
With the signing of the LOA, India becomes a customer of the Javelin system, an advanced, medium-range, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile. The US Army, US Marine Corps and numerous international customers use the Javelin. It is designed for use against a wide array of targets, including armoured vehicles and fortified positions.
