Recently, the United States approved the sale of M982A1 Excalibur precision-guided artillery projectiles and the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile system to India. This marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral defense ties.
In early 2025, the Prime Minister of India and the President of the United States agreed to deepen bilateral defense cooperation. Building on this commitment, both countries signed a 10-year framework in October 2025 to expand collaboration in defense technology. Concurrently, India has been gradually reducing its dependence on Russian defense imports, with Russia's share falling from 62% in 2017 to 34% in 2023.
In contrast, India-US defense trade has surged to $20 billion, making the US India’s third-largest arms supplier after Russia and France. The approval of Excalibur shells and Javelin systems is significant as it represents India’s first US arms purchase under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program following bilateral tensions in August 2025.
The Excalibur M982A1 can be fired from all 155 mm artillery guns in the Indian Army’s inventory, including Bofors, M777 Howitzers, K9 Vajra, and Dhanush systems. Key features include a range of 40–57 km and high targeting accuracy, enabling precision strikes with minimal collateral damage.
India’s procurement includes 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds, one Javelin fly-to-buy missile, and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units. Manufactured by the Javelin Joint Venture, a collaboration between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, the system is a portable, medium-range, “fire-and-forget” anti-tank guided missile. Key features include:
These defense sales will enhance India’s precision strike and defensive capabilities, strengthen homeland security, and act as a deterrent against regional threats. Additionally, the transactions support US foreign policy objectives by deepening the strategic partnership with India.
Q1. What are the key features of the Excalibur artillery projectiles?
Answer: The Excalibur M982A1 boasts a range of 40–57 km and high targeting accuracy, allowing for precision strikes while minimizing collateral damage.
Q2. How many Javelin missiles is India acquiring from the US?
Answer: India is procuring 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds along with additional equipment, enhancing its anti-tank capabilities.
Q3. What is the significance of these defense sales for India?
Answer: The sales enhance India's military capabilities, improve homeland security, and strengthen its strategic partnership with the US amidst regional threats.
Q4. What impact does this deal have on India's defense imports?
Answer: The deal marks a shift from reliance on Russian defense imports, reflecting India's growing defense ties with the US.
Q5. When was the framework for deeper defense cooperation signed?
Answer: The 10-year framework to expand defense technology collaboration was signed in October 2025.
Question 1: What is the range of the Excalibur M982A1 artillery projectile?
A) 20–30 km
B) 40–57 km
C) 60–70 km
D) 80–90 km
Correct Answer: B
Question 2: Which company is involved in manufacturing the Javelin missile system?
A) Lockheed Martin and Boeing
B) Raytheon and Northrop Grumman
C) Raytheon and Lockheed Martin
D) General Dynamics and Thales
Correct Answer: C
Question 3: How many Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units is India acquiring?
A) 10
B) 15
C) 25
D) 50
Correct Answer: C
Question 4: What percentage of India's defense imports was from Russia in 2023?
A) 50%
B) 34%
C) 62%
D) 40%
Correct Answer: B
Question 5: When was the bilateral defense cooperation agreement signed between India and the US?
A) 2024
B) 2025
C) 2026
D) 2023
Correct Answer: B
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