According to reliable reports, India has formally signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the United States for the acquisition of the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missile system.

The deal, valued at approximately $45.7 million, was notified to the US Congress by the Defence Security Cooperation Agency in November last year.

Under the agreement, India will procure 100 Javelin rounds, one missile for “fly-to-buy” evaluation, and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units, also referred to as Block-1 Command Launch Units.

The package also includes training equipment, missile simulation rounds, a battery coolant unit, technical manuals, lifecycle support, spare parts, and systems integration and testing.

The Javelin is a medium-range, fire-and-forget missile that can be operated by a single soldier. Weighing about 15.9 kg, it is designed to destroy armoured vehicles and fortified positions.

The system has gained global recognition for its battlefield performance, particularly during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, where Ukrainian forces have used it extensively against Russian armour. It is currently in service with the US military and more than two dozen international customers.

Indian defence sources emphasise that this immediate procurement is primarily an emergency acquisition. The long-term objective is to establish a domestic manufacturing capability for the Javelin in India. Discussions between New Delhi and Washington on co-production have been ongoing, with India submitting a formal proposal in July last year.

This proposal followed an agreement signed in February between Bharat Dynamics Limited and the Javelin Joint Venture, owned by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. The agreement was intended to explore opportunities for manufacturing the missile in India.

Lockheed Martin stated that the arrangement would allow the joint venture to evaluate the feasibility of producing Javelins domestically to meet future requirements of the Indian Ministry of Defence and strengthen India’s anti-tank capabilities.

The co-production plan is strategically more significant than the initial purchase of 100 missiles. If finalised, it would provide India not only with access to the weapon system but also with the potential to build a domestic manufacturing ecosystem around one of the world’s most widely used man-portable anti-armour systems.

The journey towards acquiring the Javelin has been long and complex. India first announced its intention to procure the missile in August 2010, when then Defence Minister A.K. Antony informed Parliament that a Letter of Request would be issued to the US under the Foreign Military Sale route, with transfer of technology included.

At that time, the Indian Army faced a shortfall of 44,000 anti-tank guided missiles against a sanctioned strength of 81,000. The Army was operating only second-generation French-origin Milan and Russian Konkurs missiles.

By 2012, however, the Javelin deal had stalled due to disagreements over transfer of critical technology and the US government’s reluctance to participate in field trials. India subsequently opted for Israel’s Spike ATGM, but the larger procurement plan collapsed after the Defence Research and Development Organisation insisted it could develop a similar indigenous system.

Limited numbers of Spike missiles were eventually acquired in multiple orders, but the broader requirement remained unmet.

The revival of the Javelin acquisition, culminating in the current deal and co-production discussions, marks a significant milestone in India’s anti-armour capability development.

It reflects both the urgency of plugging operational gaps and the strategic intent to build long-term self-reliance through domestic production.

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