During Keir Starmer’s Mumbai visit, the UK signs a $468 million missile deal with India, marking a significant milestone in defense cooperation between the two nations.
In a significant boost to UK-India defence ties, Britain announced on Thursday that it had signed a Rs 4,158.58 crore ($468 million) contract to supply the Indian armed forces with UK-manufactured lightweight missiles. The agreement coincided with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai, where he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss commercial opportunities under their recent trade deal.
The contract covers Lightweight Multirole Missiles produced by Thales in Northern Ireland, securing around 700 jobs at the factory, which currently manufactures similar weapons for Ukraine. The British government described the deal as a stepping stone toward a broader complex weapons partnership between the two nations, which is still under negotiation.
This development is part of Starmer’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the UK defence sector, drive economic growth, and increase exports. Over the past year, Starmer has pledged to align the UK’s defence spending with NATO targets, while actively pursuing international contracts, such as the recent $13.5 billion frigate deal with Norway.
Additionally, the UK and India reached a milestone on a separate defence initiative involving electric-powered engines for naval ships, marking the next phase of a joint programme valued at an initial £250 million.
The missile deal and naval engines partnership underscore the deepening strategic and commercial collaboration between the UK and India, highlighting both nations’ focus on modernising their defence capabilities while fostering long-term economic ties.
