India and the United Kingdom are in the final stages of concluding an inter-governmental agreement for the procurement of hundreds of Lightweight Multirole Missiles, also known as Martlet, for the Indian Army.
British officials have indicated that the agreement is expected to be signed soon. The proposed deal will expand an initial emergency procurement of the missile system into a much larger order, with the final quantity expected to run into the hundreds.
The Lightweight Multirole Missile is manufactured by Thales at its facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Once completed, the Indian order is expected to become the company’s second-largest global order for the LMM system. The largest order for the missile has been placed for Ukraine.
The LMM is a compact precision-guided weapon designed for use against a wide range of targets. It weighs approximately 13 kilograms, measures around 1.3 metres in length and has a diameter of 76 millimetres.
The missile employs laser beam-riding guidance, allowing it to be directed towards its target through a laser designation system. This guidance method ensures accuracy while reducing susceptibility to electronic countermeasures.
The system’s relatively light weight also allows it to be integrated into different launch platforms and deployed in multiple operational roles. It can be mounted on helicopters, ground vehicles, naval vessels, and even adapted for man-portable launchers.
The planned Indian procurement is focused on the Army and forms part of a broader effort to strengthen India’s access to modern precision weapons while expanding defence cooperation with Britain.
The proposed LMM agreement could also become a starting point for deeper industrial cooperation between the two countries. British officials have suggested that after the missile contract is concluded, India and the UK are expected to begin discussions on New Delhi’s larger ambition of co-designing and co-developing future complex weapon systems.
Such discussions would potentially move bilateral defence cooperation beyond direct procurement towards joint development and manufacturing. This would align with India’s long-term vision of building indigenous capacity in advanced defence technologies under its Aatmanirbhar Bharat program.
The complex weapons dialogue is taking place alongside other major defence initiatives being discussed between the two countries. One of these involves advanced talks on a maritime electric propulsion partnership for future Indian Navy warships.
The LMM deal therefore forms part of a wider effort by New Delhi and London to expand defence-industrial cooperation, strengthen supply chains and explore joint development of advanced military technologies.
This agreement is strategically significant as it not only enhances India’s precision strike capabilities but also deepens its defence-industrial ties with the United Kingdom.
It reflects a growing trend of collaborative defence programs where technology transfer, joint manufacturing, and co-development are becoming central to bilateral partnerships.
Agencies
