NEW DELHI – India’s Tata Group is set to explore the manufacture of US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles in India following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between its defence subsidiary, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), and the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV).
The agreement was signed on Monday between TASL and JJV, a partnership between US defence giants Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
Under the MoU, TASL and JJV will examine the feasibility of establishing a facility in India to manufacture the Javelin’s All-Up Round (AUR)—the complete assembled missile—as well as associated equipment.
The companies will also explore opportunities to manufacture missile components in India. Following an assessment of the capabilities and expertise of several Indian companies, JJV selected TASL as its principal Indian partner.
The agreement comes days after India’s defence forces signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the US government for the potential purchase of 100 Javelin missiles and 25 launchers.
However, Indian defence officials said the procurement agreement and the Tata-JJV manufacturing pact are not directly linked.
What is the Javelin?
The Javelin is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank guided missile designed to engage tanks, armoured vehicles and fortified positions.
It uses a “fire-and-forget” guidance system, allowing the missile to track its target after launch without requiring continuous guidance from the operator.
The weapon is widely used by the US military and has been supplied to several countries. Ukrainian forces have also used Javelin missiles extensively during the Russia-Ukraine war.
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