US Clears $93 Million Sale Of Excalibur, Javelin Missiles To India
The package includes 100 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy round, 25 command-launch units, training aids, simulation rounds, spare parts and full lifecycle support.
New Delhi: India is set to replenish its stock of Excalibur guided artillery munitions, used during Operation Sindoor to strike terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, after the US State Department approved their sale, along with the shoulder-fired Javelin anti-tank missile system.
The Indian Army employs Excalibur precision-guided artillery shells in its M-777 howitzer guns. The US State Department has cleared the sale of Excalibur munitions and the Javelin system worth $93 million to India. New Delhi had requested the purchase of up to 216 Excalibur tactical projectiles and 100 Javelin launch units.
This will be one of the first major US defence sales to India under Washington’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme since bilateral ties deteriorated in August, after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
The approval comes soon after Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) placed a fresh order for General Electric engines to power additional Tejas fighter jets. India will procure the Excalibur munitions and Javelin systems under the emergency procurement route.
According to the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by strengthening the US-India strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defence partner in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia.”
India and the US are also discussing the co-production of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles in India. Earlier, defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said India intended to acquire the Javelin ATGM in two phases, initially through emergency procurement to meet urgent operational needs against China and Pakistan, followed by a long-term contract currently under negotiation.
Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL) has an agreement with the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), owned by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, to explore joint manufacturing opportunities in India.
The Javelin, known for its portability and high precision, is considered among the world’s most advanced anti-tank weapons. Weighing around 15.9 kg, it can be carried and fired by a single soldier from the shoulder.
