India and the United States have taken a major step towards deeper defence-industrial cooperation with an agreement to explore the co-production of Javelin missiles in India. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Raytheon, an RTX business, and Lockheed Martin, for the potential co-production of the Javelin All-Up-Round (AUR) missile in the country.
Under the agreement, TASL has been selected as the Javelin Joint Venture’s prime Indian partner for future in-country co-production. The two sides will explore establishing a dedicated final assembly and integration facility for the Javelin AUR in India, along with component production capabilities. The proposed arrangement is expected to strengthen India’s defence manufacturing base and create opportunities for Indian industry to participate more deeply in the Javelin supply chain.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor welcomed the agreement and described it as a “major step forward” for the US-India defence partnership. Gor said the collaboration between Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Tata Advanced Systems would create new opportunities for US companies, strengthen the American defence-industrial base and boost India’s manufacturing capabilities.
The proposed production model will combine manufacturing capabilities in the United States with final assembly in India. Sub-assembly kits are planned to be produced at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Troy, Alabama, while guidance electronics units would be manufactured at Raytheon’s facility in Tucson, Arizona. These components would then be shipped to India for final assembly and integration.
The development follows India’s recent agreement with the United States to procure Javelin anti-tank guided missile systems for the Indian Army through the Foreign Military Sales process. The Javelin is a man-portable, shoulder-launched, fire-and-forget anti-tank weapon designed primarily to engage armoured vehicles and other battlefield targets.
For India, the proposed co-production programme could provide benefits beyond missile assembly. Bringing final integration and component manufacturing activities to Indian facilities is expected to create high-technology jobs, strengthen local manufacturing expertise and support greater self-reliance in defence production. TASL CEO and Managing Director Sukaran Singh said the initiative would bring critical assembly expertise and knowledge transfer into India’s defence industrial ecosystem while strengthening self-reliance and operational readiness.
The Javelin Joint Venture has produced more than 55,000 missiles and over 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units, highlighting the scale of the established production network. The proposed Indian facility could also contribute to global supply-chain resilience as international demand for the weapon system continues to grow.
The Javelin co-production agreement therefore represents a broader shift in India-US defence relations from equipment procurement towards joint manufacturing and industrial collaboration. With TASL becoming the prime Indian partner, the initiative could strengthen India’s private defence sector while supporting New Delhi’s long-term goal of building a more capable and self-reliant defence manufacturing ecosystem.
-
-
-
-
