India signs deal with US to buy Javelin anti-tank missile systems

Medium-range guided missile system designed for use against a range of targets, including armoured vehicles

The Indian Army has signed an agreement with the United States to purchase Javelin anti-tank missile systems, the US Embassy in India said on Friday, without disclosing the value of the deal.

The medium-range guided missile system, jointly produced by Lockheed Martin and RTX, is designed for use against a range of targets, including armoured vehicles, the embassy said.

The missile system is already in service with the US Army and Marine Corps, as well as several international customers, the embassy added.

The agreement creates new opportunities for the defence industries of both countries to work together, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said.

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"We see tremendous potential for future cooperation that strengthens the defence industrial bases of both countries," he said.

New Delhi was not immediately available for comment on the agreement.

India is the world's fifth-largest military spender and the second-largest arms importer after Ukraine, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

India and the US signed a 10-year defence framework agreement in October.

Although ties between the countries have deteriorated in recent months, with Washington imposing high tariffs on ​Indian goods, punishing New Delhi for purchasing Russian oil, and engaging closely with Pakistan, the defence relationship has remained unaffected.