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hasn’t resulted in as many ambitious projects as
was expected, although a handful of joint-ven-
tures and co-production agreements have
materialized such as Mahindra Defence-BAE
Systems’ co-production of M777 howitzers, [ ANALYSIS ]
and HAL-BAE Systems licensed production
of Hawk advanced trainer aircraft.

The creation of two defence industrial corridors
in the country—one in the northern state of
Uttar Pradesh and another in southern Tamil
Nadu, saw an enthusiastic response from the
UK, with the country’s oldest firearm manu-
facturer, Webley and Scott, establishing a
builds upon agreements signed between Hindustan Aeronautics production facility in Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh.
Limited (HAL) and Rolls Royce to move aspects of the manufac- Showing the way for other companies was
ture of the MT30 Gas Turbine engine to India, supporting Prime BAE Systems, which in 2016 decided to man-
Minister Modi’s ‘Make in India initiative’. The MT30 is an engine ufacture M777 in partnership with Mahindra
employed widely in navies around the world and is the basis of the Defence. In early 2020, India’s Larsen &
UK’s Integrated Electric Propulsion system that powers the Queen Toubro (L&T) and U K’s MBDA set up a joint
Elizabeth Class Carriers,” UK Minister for Defence Procurement, venture company L&T MBDA Missile Systems
Jeremy Quin MP, said. “We remain committed to close collabora- (LTMMSL) and established a Missile Integration
tion with India as we both adapt to meet future threats and look to facility in Coimbatore, a part of the Tamil Nadu
innovate our defence equipment programmes and systems,” Quinn Defence Industrial Corridor. With an eye on
added. The two countries also discussed the potential for further domestic and global markets, LTMMSL has
industrial collaboration in areas like maritime propulsion, space set up the assembly, inert integration (without
and cyber, marking the start of a promising new era of UK-India explosives) and testing facility for Missile Sub-
research, capability and industrial collaboration on Indian combat systems and Missile Weapon Launch Systems
air and beyond. spread across an area of 16,000 sq. meter
in the Special Economic Zone. LTMMSL will
Recovering from a Slow Start build complete Missile Systems for the Indian
Since gaining Independence from the British empire in 1947, India Armed Forces exploring prospects under the
has, over the years, established its own foreign and defence policy, Buy (Indian –IDDM), Buy (Indian), and Buy &
one that has helped it make significant progress with regard to Make (Indian) categories for defence procure-
national security and relationships with its neighbors. The country’s ment. LTMMSL has also responded to Indian
defence relationship with the UK has, until now, remained largely Navy’s Air Defence requirement for Short
stagnant, apart from the procurement of a few defence systems Range Surface-to-Air Missile System (SRSAM).
such as the now decommissioned aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and Going forward, LTMMSL is offering the Exocet
INS Viraat, Jaguar attack aircraft by Anglo-French manufacturer MM40Block 3 anti-ship missile, and the 5th
SEPECAT, and Sea King helicopters. Generation Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM5)
to the Indian Armed Forces.
There have been efforts to re-energize the defence industrial part-
nership between the two countries, as the Defence Equipment Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, Vice Chairman and
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in 1997 and renewed Member of the Board L&T MBDA Missile
twice— in 2007 and 2019 – indicate. The agreement, however, Systems, said: “The setting up of this new state
of the art facility in Coimbatore is an exciting
and highly significant milestone for the L&T
MBDA Missile Systems joint venture and for
the Indian defence industry sector. With the
technical and human capabilities offered by
this site, India will be ideally placed to offer its
armed forces and the export market the very
latest generation of defence equipment tech-
nology.”

Success of Joint Production
The BrahMos missile programme is a shining
example of the joint development of defence
technology. This missile, co-developed by

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