5 days ago
India Signs US Deal for Fire-and-Forget Javelin Missiles
India is buying a weapon called the Javelin from the United States.
It is designed to attack tanks, armored vehicles and some fortified positions.
A soldier can carry and fire the system from the shoulder.
Before firing, the soldier points at a target and locks onto it.
After launch, the missile guides itself instead of needing constant control.
This lets the soldier quickly move away or hide from enemy fire.
The missile can fly straight toward a target or rise and dive onto the top of a tank.
The Javelin has also been used by US and allied forces, including Ukraine.
India has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance to buy Javelin anti-tank missiles from the United States through Foreign Military Sales.
The cost and number of missiles in the signed agreement have not been disclosed, although an earlier proposed sale was reportedly valued at $45.7 million.
Javelin missiles use infrared guidance and can guide themselves after launch, allowing operators to move, take cover or relocate.
The system can attack directly or use a top-attack trajectory designed to strike the more vulnerable roofs of tanks.
Javelins are manufactured by a partnership involving Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, identified in one account as RTX, and have been widely used by Ukraine.
- Who
- The Indian Army and the United States, with US Ambassador Sergio Gor welcoming the agreement.
- What
- India signed an agreement to procure the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system through the US Foreign Military Sales process.
- Where
- The deal involves India and the United States and concerns equipment for the Indian Army.
- When
- The announcement was reported on Friday, August 28; another account also links the agreement to remarks at the May 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue.
- Why
- The system is intended to provide a portable weapon against armored vehicles and fortified targets, while the agreement is also described as strengthening US-India defense ties and creating possible co-production opportunities.
Key facts
- Weapon
- Javelin anti-tank guided missile system
- Procurement channel
- United States Foreign Military Sales program
- Standard effective range
- Approximately 2.5 kilometers
- Weight
- The system weighs about 22 kilograms; the missile itself weighs 8.4 kilograms
- Guidance
- Infrared, lock-on-before-launch, and fire-and-forget guidance
- Attack modes
- Top attack and direct attack
- Reported proposed value
- Approximately $45.7 million; the final agreement's cost and missile quantity were not disclosed
- International use
- The missile is used by the United States and international customers, including Ukraine, France, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates
Quotes
Center for Strategic and International Studies
US-based research institution cited for technical details about the Javelin.
“The Javelin’s soft launch mechanism prevents missile exhaust from hitting the operator, enables fires from inside confined spaces and buildings, lowers recoil for shoulder-launched fires, and minimizes launch smoke trails that indicate launch locations and invite counterfire”
indianexpress.com
“The Javelin agreement demonstrates the depth of US support for the Indian Army and creates new opportunities for our defense industries to work together. We see tremendous potential for future cooperation that strengthens the defense industrial bases of both countries.”
wionews.com
Sources
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