India and UK near landmark Martlet missile pact

India and the United Kingdom are in the final stages of concluding an inter-governmental agreement for the procurement of hundreds of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM), also known as Martlet, for the Indian Army. This formal deal will expand upon an initial emergency procurement into a much larger order.

The LMM is a compact, precision-guided weapon manufactured by Thales at a facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It utilizes laser beam-riding guidance to ensure accuracy and reduce susceptibility to electronic countermeasures. The missile weighs approximately 13 kilograms and can be integrated into various platforms, including helicopters, ground vehicles, and naval vessels.

Once finalized, this contract is expected to become the second-largest global order for the LMM system, following the largest order placed by Ukraine. Beyond the immediate procurement, British officials indicated that the agreement may serve as a foundation for deeper industrial cooperation, including potential discussions on the co-design and co-development of future complex weapon systems.