The United Kingdom has signed a £350 million ($468 million) deal to supply the Indian Army with UK-made lightweight missiles, marking a significant step in strengthening defence and strategic cooperation between the two nations.
The announcement coincided with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai, where he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders emphasized the growing commercial and defence relationship, building on months of progress toward a comprehensive trade agreement.
According to the UK government, the deal will provide Lightweight Multirole Missiles manufactured by Thales in Northern Ireland — the same facility currently producing these systems for Ukraine. The contract is expected to secure 700 jobs at the plant.
“This agreement lays the foundation for a broader partnership on complex weapons currently under negotiation between the UK and India,” the UK government said in a statement.
Defence, Trade, and Technology Cooperation Expands
Starmer’s visit, accompanied by the UK’s largest-ever business delegation to India, reflects a renewed push to enhance bilateral ties. The UK also announced progress on a £250 million collaboration with India to develop electric-powered naval engines — a milestone in defence technology cooperation.
Prime Minister Modi hailed the partnership, highlighting the synergy between “India’s dynamism and the UK’s expertise.”
“Our partnership is built on trust and shared commitment to building a brighter future for the people of both nations,” Modi said.
Starmer emphasized the economic focus of the trip:
“When we leave India tonight, I expect that we will have secured major new investments creating thousands of high-skilled jobs in the sectors of the future.”
New Initiatives in Innovation and Green Technology
An Indian foreign ministry statement outlined several new initiatives, including:
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A joint India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre
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A Joint AI Research Centre
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A Critical Minerals Industry Guild to secure supply chains and promote green technologies
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Co-investment in a climate tech startup fund
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New collaborations on healthcare, renewable energy, and offshore wind
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A health research partnership
Military Training and Education Ties
In another sign of growing military cooperation, Indian Air Force instructors will begin working alongside the UK’s Royal Air Force as part of a new defence training agreement.
While India has traditionally relied on Russia for military hardware, recent years have seen a diversification of suppliers, including France, Israel, the United States — and now increasingly, the UK.
Two UK universities have also been granted approval to open campuses in India, which the UK government says will help expand British influence abroad without increasing migration at home — an area where visa restrictions are tightening.
Strategic Differences Remain
Despite expanding ties, some geopolitical differences persist. Starmer joked to reporters that he wouldn’t be sending birthday wishes to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a reference to Modi’s recent greeting to the Russian leader. However, UK officials emphasized that such issues have not hindered cooperation.
“We respect India’s strategic independence,” said Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, part of the visiting delegation. “And that hasn’t stopped us from deepening our economic and strategic relationship.”
