US Clears Over USD 90 Million Weapons Sale To India, Including Excalibur And Javelin Systems

The United States has approved the sale of Excalibur projectiles, the Javelin missile system, and related equipment worth over USD 90 million to India. In its announcement, Washington described India as an “important force” for political stability and peace across the Indo-Pacific and South Asia and said the transfer would enhance the security of a “major defence partner.”

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Wednesday that the State Department has authorised two potential Foreign Military Sales: one for Excalibur Projectiles valued at USD 47.1 million and another for the Javelin Missile System estimated at USD 45.7 million. DSCA has also delivered the required certification notifying Congress.

“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 agency said.

The Indian government has asked to purchase up to 216 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles. The package also includes non-MDE items such as ancillary equipment, Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems (PEFCS) with Improved Platform Integration Kit (iPIK), primers, propellant charges, US government technical assistance, technical data, repair-and-return services, and other logistical and programme support. According to the agency, “The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing precision capability equipment, which will increase first strike accuracy in its brigades.”

For the Javelin Missile System, India has requested 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds, one fly-to-buy FGM-148 missile, and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) or Javelin Block 1 Command Launch Units (CLU). Additional non-MDE items include missile simulation rounds, battery coolant units, an interactive electronic technical manual, Javelin operator manuals, refurbishment services, and further logistics and programme support. The agency noted, “The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats.”

DSCA stated that India will have no difficulty incorporating these systems into its armed forces and that the acquisitions will not change the basic military balance in the region. RTX Corporation, based in Arlington, Virginia, will serve as the principal contractor for the Excalibur Projectiles, and the agency said it is not aware of any offset agreements at this stage. Any such agreement would be negotiated directly between India and the contractor. The implementation of the sale will not require the deployment of additional US government or contractor representatives to India and will not affect US defence readiness. For the Javelin system, the principal contractors will be the RTX Corporation/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture in Orlando, Florida, and Tucson, Arizona.

With PTI inputs