The U.S. State Department has given the approval for the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and Excalibur guided artillery munitions to India, worth a total $93 million, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on Wednesday.
India’s First New Deal Since Tariffs
The proposed sale includes 216 Excalibur tactical projectiles and 100 units of the Javelin system, as per the DSCA statement. The Indian government had requested this defense equipment, which is the South Asian country’s first under the U.S. foreign military sales program since the tariff hike by President Donald Trump in August.
The Excalibur sale is valued at $47.1 million, while the State Department has also cleared a potential $45.7 million sale of Javelin missile systems and related gear to India.
The DSCA said the sale would reinforce the U.S.–India strategic partnership and bolster the security of a key defense ally in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia. India already uses Excalibur artillery rounds in its M-777 Howitzer systems.
The primary contractors for the sales would be RTX Corp (NYSE:RTX) for the Excalibur projectiles and its joint venture with Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) for the Javelin systems.
Rising Demand for US Arms
This sale comes on the heels of a 10-year framework agreement between the U.S. and India to strengthen defense cooperation, signed in October. The agreement was designed to enhance coordination, information sharing, and tech cooperation, as well as foster regional stability and deterrence between the two countries.
Notably, earlier this month, India agreed to re-order 113 engines made by General Electric (NYSE:GE) for its upgraded Tejas fighter jets, signaling improving U.S.–India ties after recent tariff tensions. The Tejas Mk-1A jets are key to rebuilding India's shrinking fighter fleet and countering China's military rise and its support for Pakistan.
India’s move to purchase U.S. defense equipment also follows a similar decision by Saudi Arabia, which recently committed to buying nearly 300 U.S.-made tanks. These developments reflect a growing trend of U.S. allies investing in American defense technology, potentially boosting the revenue of U.S. defense contractors.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
