India, UK agree to £350-million missile deal

• India and the United Kingdom concluded a £350 million ($468 million) deal for the supply of lightweight multirole missile (LMM) systems to enhance India's air defence capabilities.

• It was announced during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s two-day visit to Mumbai on October 8 & 9.

• The contract on the LMM envisaged the delivery of air defence missiles and launchers, made by Thales at Belfast in Northern Ireland, to the Indian Army.

• The deal will give a significant boost to the British defence industry and secure 700 jobs at a factory that currently makes the same weapons 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. 

• A new milestone has also been reached in the UK and India’s cooperation on electric-powered engines for naval ships as both countries signed the Implementing Arrangement to advance collaboration to the next stage, worth an initial £250M ($333 million).

Lightweight Multirole Missile 

• Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), also known as Martlet, is an advanced solution for air defence, delivering precision, versatility and effectiveness against diverse threats in challenging environments.

• Weighing only 13kg each, LMM provides a precision solution against threats such as drones, helicopters, other aircraft, and small, fast maritime targets.

• LMM benefits from a precision laser beam riding guidance system allowing low collateral damage, and is thus optimised for operations in air, land and naval environments. 

• Equipped with a triple effect warhead and proximity fuse, LMM provides a response to various threats including light armored, wheeled and tracked vehicles or aerial platforms.