India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and France’s Thales have signed a contract to deliver an initial batch of Starstreak very short-range air-defence systems (VSHORADS) to the Indian Armed Forces within 2025, Thales announced on 10 February.
However, the company did not disclose the number of the Starstreak missiles and associated launchers provisioned under the deal.
According to Thales, BDL will manufacture up to 60% of the Starstreak missiles acquired by India – also known as the Laser Beam Riding MANPAD (LBRM) – will be manufactured locally. The deal also includes the transfer of technology to India.
Thales and BDL earlier entered into an agreement in January 2021 to integrate the Hyderabad-based company into the global supply chain for the Starstreak system. The arrangement would also enable BDL to offer the weapon to local customers with a high-level of indigenous content as required under the Indian government’s ‘Make In India’ imperative.
“We are pleased to take our collaboration with Thales to this next significant step, enhancing our contribution to the defence ecosystem and our ability to support existing and future LBRM Air Defence customers,” said BDL Chairman and Managing Director A Madhavarao.
Thales noted that the latest contract represents the first major agreement since the establishment of the United Kingdom’s Defence Partnership-India initiative, which aims to mitigate trade barriers and support government-to-government contracting efforts.
“This is a momentous occasion for all the stakeholders involved in the development of LBRM Air Defence solutions,” said President & CEO of Thales International Pascale Sourisse.
“It signifies the beginning of an exciting chapter in our collaboration with BDL, contributing to the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision,” added Sourisse. “The UK-India strategic partnership finds renewed strength through this contract, which is poised to make a significant impact in the domain of air defence in India.”
The two companies also earlier announced in February 2023 to set up local manufacturing of the Thales Forges de Zeebrugge (FZ) 275 70 mm/2.75 inch laser-guided rockets (LGRs) in India for the Indian armed forces’ growing fleet of indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) and Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs).
by Jr Ng
