US-India defense manufacturing cooperation

The defense partnership between the United States and India is expanding through increased aerospace and missile manufacturing collaborations involving major American firms and Indian industry.

In late August 2026, US Ambassador Sergio Gor visited the Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited facility in Hyderabad. This joint venture acts as the global single-source supplier for C-130J and LM-100J aircraft empennages. The visit highlighted India’s role as a “critical link in the global C-130J production network” amid an Indian government proposal to acquire 60 medium transport aircraft, which would involve increasing indigenous content to 60%.

Following this, Tata Advanced Systems Limited entered a memorandum of understanding with the Javelin Joint Venture—a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin—to co-produce Javelin All Up Round missiles in India. The agreement explores establishing local final assembly and integration facilities. The process would involve shipping sub-assembly kits from Alabama and guidance electronics from Arizona to India for final integration, aiming to enhance regional security and supply chain resiliency in the Indo-Pacific. This initiative marks a transition in the India-U.S. defense relationship from simple platform acquisition to deeper industrial integration.