Britain announced on Thursday the signing of a £350 million ($468 million) deal to supply the Indian Army with UK-manufactured lightweight missiles, marking a significant step in the deepening defence and strategic partnership between the two countries.
The announcement came as British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in Mumbai, where both leaders also lauded the growing commercial potential emerging from their recently concluded trade agreement.
Read: UK, India ink trade deal
According to a statement issued by the UK government, the contract covers the supply of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) produced by Thales in Northern Ireland. The deal is expected to secure 700 jobs at the Thales facility, which currently manufactures the same missile system for Ukraine.
“The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments,” the statement said.
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Over the past year, Starmer has made defence exports a key part of his economic growth agenda, pledging to increase defence spending in line with NATO commitments. His government has sought to strengthen Britain’s defence manufacturing sector through major export contracts, including a recent $13.5 billion frigate deal with Norway.
Britain also announced a new milestone with India in the field of naval technology, as both sides signed the next phase of a tie-up for electric-powered engines for naval vessels — an agreement worth an initial £250 million.
