India, UK Set to Sign Pacts for Naval Propulsion and Missile Supply

India and the United Kingdom are on the verge of finalising two significant defence agreements, according to British officials. The first pact, an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), will focus on developing maritime electric propulsion systems for four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) for the Indian Navy. The second agreement concerns the procurement of hundreds of British Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) for the Indian Army.

Under the propulsion collaboration, GE Vernova and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd will set up India's first maritime Land-Based Testing Facility. This facility will support the development of the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) system. Currently, Indian warships rely on diesel engines, gas turbines, or steam turbines, and do not possess electric propulsion capabilities. The new system is intended for larger vessels with a displacement exceeding 6,000 tonnes, with the LPDs serving as the initial test platforms.

This development follows a Statement of Intent signed in Portsmouth on 28 November 2024, during the third meeting of the Joint Working Group on Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership. That statement laid the groundwork for co-design, co-creation, and co-production of electric propulsion capabilities for future Indian vessels. British officials noted that negotiations have been productive, with discussions also covering the retrofitting of legacy ships with electric propulsion systems as part of India's naval fleet modernisation programme.

On the missile front, the new agreement builds on a £350-million contract signed in October for an initial supply of LMMs. The upcoming deal will see India procure hundreds more of these missiles, making it one of the largest customers for the system. The LMMs, manufactured by Thales UK, weigh 13 kg, have a range of over 6 km, and travel at Mach 1.5. They feature a triple-effect warhead and proximity fuse, capable of engaging light-armoured vehicles, tracked vehicles, aerial platforms, and unmanned aerial systems. The missile can be launched from shoulder, tripod, or vehicle configurations, offering fire-on-the-move capability.

The October joint statement from both governments had indicated a move to a government-to-government route for the initial LMM supply, supporting India's air defence needs and aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative for long-term collaboration on complex weapons.