Our Bureau
Bengaluru
The United Kingdom (UK) has secured a contract to supply Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) to the Indian Army and has launched a new India-focused defense program called Defence Partnership–India (DP-I). The announcements were made on Monday at Aero India 2025.
DP-I is a special initiative at the ministry level and is designed to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation between the UK and India. UK Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker opened the UK-India Defence Partnership Pavilion, which marks the establishment of a dedicated program office within the UK’s Ministry of Defence that will serve as a single window system to enhance collaboration.
The UK and India have also agreed to expand collaboration on next-generation weapons. To that end, Thales UK and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) have signed a contract to deliver Laser Beam Riding MANPADs (LBRMs), with an initial supply of High Velocity Missiles (StarStreak) and launchers to be delivered later this year.
BDL had already secured a contract from the Indian Army for the same under emergency procurement. The Indian Army intends to replace the existing Russian Igla-S systems as part of its modernization plan.
This collaboration will not only strengthen India’s air defense but will also lay the foundation for more advanced weapon systems in the future. The agreement between Thales UK and BDL is a standout agreement, marking an important step in India’s quest for self-reliance in the defense sector.
The deal extends to the production of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM), with BDL set to become an integral part of Thales’ global supply chain. The establishment of a dedicated program office within the UK’s Ministry of Defence will act as a one-stop hub for enhancing bilateral defense collaboration between the two nations.
