Washington, Nov 21: The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and Excalibur guided artillery munitions worth $93 million to India, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Wednesday.According to DSCA, India requested 100 FGM-148 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy missile, 25 command launch units, and 216 Excalibur tactical projectiles. The agency said the proposed sale would strengthen the U.S.-India strategic relationship and enhance the security of a “major defence partner.”
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions. The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats,” DSCA said.
The announcement comes weeks after Washington and New Delhi unveiled a 10-year defence cooperation framework to expand collaboration in military technology, co-production and information sharing.
On October 31, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two leaders signed a 10-year framework for the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership, aimed at deepening defence ties between the two countries.