India to Boost Military Strength as US Approves USD 47.1 Million Defence Deal

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A major defence agreement between India and the United States has moved forward after US President Donald Trump approved a weapons sale worth USD 47.1 million to India. This clearance paves the way for India to receive Javelin anti-tank missiles and Excalibur precision-guided artillery rounds.

According to the notification sent to the US Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Government of India has requested the purchase of 100 FGM-148 Javelin missile rounds, one Javelin FGM-148 fly-to-buy missile, and 25 Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) or Block-1 Command Launch Units (CLU). In addition, India will procure 216 Excalibur artillery rounds.

DSCA stated that the US State Department has approved the possible sale of Excalibur projectiles and related equipment at an estimated cost of USD 47.1 million. The agency noted that India will not face any technical or operational challenges in integrating these weapons into its armed forces. It also confirmed that the deal will not impact the regional military balance.

What is the Javelin Missile System?

The Javelin is one of the world’s most advanced portable anti-tank guided missiles, jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and RTX. Known as a fire-and-forget missile, it does not require the operator to track the target after launching. The missile automatically identifies and strikes the target with high precision.