India Signs Deal for 60 US Javelin Anti-Tank Missiles:
India has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the US for a ₹292-crore government-to-government deal to acquire around 60 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) for the Indian Army through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.
- The acquisition will provide an immediate operational capability, while India’s indigenous Man-Portable ATGM (MPATGM) is being developed to progressively replace ageing Milan-2T and Konkurs systems.
- It is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, medium-range anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) designed for individual or dismounted infantry use.
- Utilizes a passive imaging-infrared seeker that automatically tracks targets post-launch, allowing troops to immediately relocate and evade counter-fire.
- Ejects the missile using an initial motor before main ignition, minimizing exhaust and enabling safe firing from confined spaces like bunkers and buildings.
- Offers an effective operational range of 2.5 to 4 km and weighs approximately 22 kg, ensuring high mobility for infantry units.
- Extensively battle-tested in high-intensity global conflicts, including deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.
- Jointly produced by the Javelin Joint Venture (comprising US defence majors Lockheed Martin and RTX).
- The procurement strengthens the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership and paves the way for potential mutually beneficial co-production, which aligns with India’s goal of bolstering its domestic defence industrial base.
