Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 28: India is planning to procure the battle-tested Javelin portable anti-tank missile system from the United States, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said, describing the move as a significant step forward in defence cooperation between the two countries.
Gor said the proposed procurement could also open the way for greater defence manufacturing cooperation and possible co-production between India and the US.
“India plans to buy the battle-tested Javelin anti-tank system,” Gor said in a post on X, adding that the development would create new opportunities for the defence industries of both countries to work together.
The US State Department had approved a potential sale of the FGM-148 Javelin weapon system to India in November 2025. The proposed package was valued at around USD 93 million and included up to 100 Javelin systems along with 216 Excalibur guided artillery projectiles.
The Javelin is a portable, shoulder-fired, medium-range anti-tank guided missile system jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. It uses a fire-and-forget guidance system, allowing the operator to launch the missile and move to cover without having to guide it throughout its flight.
The system is designed primarily to engage armoured targets and is already in service with the US military and several allied countries. Its lightweight design allows troops to reposition quickly after firing, while its soft-launch capability enables it to be used from enclosed locations such as buildings and bunkers.
The exact number of Javelin systems India intends to procure and the final cost of the proposed acquisition have not been disclosed. The Indian government has also not issued an immediate statement on the development.
The proposed procurement comes amid expanding defence ties between India and the US. India has already acquired several American defence platforms, including Apache and Chinook helicopters, C-17 and C-130J transport aircraft, P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and M777 howitzers.
The US and India have also been strengthening cooperation aimed at improving interoperability across land, sea, air, space and cyberspace, while exploring greater opportunities for collaboration between their defence industries.