The United Kingdom and India have concluded two major defense agreements worth a combined £600 million, deepening bilateral industrial cooperation and strengthening their strategic partnership.
Under the first agreement, India will acquire air defense missiles and launchers manufactured in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The £350 million contract involves the supply of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) to the Indian Army and will sustain more than 700 jobs in Northern Ireland. The missiles are of the same type currently produced for Ukraine, reflecting the UK’s growing export role in the global defense market.
A second deal, valued at an initial £250 million, advances cooperation on electric-powered engines for naval vessels. Both governments signed an Implementing Arrangement to move the project to the next phase, aiming to expand collaboration in naval propulsion technologies.
The announcements coincided with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai and joint UK-India military exercises in the Indian Ocean. The UK Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, is currently conducting Exercise Konkan alongside the Indian Navy’s INS Vikrant. The four-day training includes coordinated operations involving ships, submarines, and aircraft.Defense Secretary John Healey stated, “The defense deals announced today show how our growing strategic partnership with India will boost UK business and jobs. I am hopeful that this will pave the way for a deeper relationship between our two defense industries, particularly in the development of electric engines for naval ships and in air defense.”
Following the exercise, the UK Carrier Strike Group will visit Mumbai and Goa, where British and Indian defense industries are expected to hold further discussions. The visit will also include cultural and community engagement activities, emphasizing the broader scope of cooperation between both nations.