WASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday approved roughly $93 million in military sales to India, marking another step forward in the rapidly expanding defense partnership between the two countries.
The State Department authorized the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and related equipment valued at about $45.7 million, along with Excalibur tactical projectiles estimated at $47.1 million.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, India requested 100 FGM-148 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy missile, 25 command launch units, and 216 Excalibur precision-guided projectiles. The agency said the proposed sale would strengthen the India–US strategic relationship and bolster the security of a major defense partner.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-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 statement said. It added that the systems would enhance India’s ability to meet current and future threats, improve homeland defense, and deter regional challenges.
The approval follows the announcement of a 10-year defense cooperation framework earlier this month aimed at expanding collaboration in military technology, co-production, and information sharing.
On October 31, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two sides signed the “Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership.” Singh described the agreement as ushering in a new era in bilateral defense ties, noting in a post on X that it provides policy direction for the full spectrum of cooperation.
“This Defence Framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US Defence Relationship. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership,” Singh said.
Hegseth echoed the sentiment, writing that India-US defense ties “have never been stronger” and highlighting enhanced coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation as key pillars of the strengthened partnership. (Source: IANS)
