The Governments of India and the United Kingdom have signed a £350 million ($468 million) defense agreement for the supply of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) to the Indian Army, marking a major advancement in bilateral defense cooperation.
India, UK signed £350 mn deal for Martlet LMM pic.twitter.com/9YOBtS9L0E
— Tatya Vinchu (@officialTatya_1) October 9, 2025
The deal was announced during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official visit to Mumbai, underscoring the growing strategic partnership between New Delhi and London. The LMMs will be manufactured by Thales in Northern Ireland and delivered to Indian forces under a co-production and supply arrangement that will also safeguard 700 jobs in the UK defense sector.
The agreement follows ongoing negotiations for a broader complex weapons partnership between the two nations, aimed at enhancing defense industrial collaboration, joint research, and technology transfer.
Accompanying the missile contract, both governments also announced progress on a £250 million deal for electric-powered engines for Indian naval ships — expanding the scope of cooperation beyond land-based systems to maritime platforms.
“This agreement represents a major step in strengthening the UK–India defense relationship and reflects our shared commitment to advancing regional security through innovation and cooperation,”said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the deal as a symbol of “deepening strategic trust and industrial collaboration” between the two countries, adding that it would open “new opportunities for defense co-development under the Make in India initiative.”
The UK–India defense partnership has seen significant growth in recent years, encompassing joint military exercises, technology sharing, and supply-chain integration across land, air, and naval domains.
The latest agreement builds upon this momentum, further reinforcing both nations’ commitment to a free, secure, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
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