India and the United Kingdom are moving closer to a major defence agreement for the procurement of British-made Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM), commonly known as the Martlet, for the Indian Army. The proposed order has expanded significantly from the quantity initially discussed in 2025 and is now expected to run into several hundred missiles.
According to the latest reports, the two countries are in the final stages of concluding an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA). British officials have indicated that the agreement could be signed soon, potentially making India the second-largest customer for the LMM system after Ukraine.
The development builds on the India-UK defence cooperation announced in October 2025. At the time, both governments announced an initial £350 million government-to-government arrangement for Lightweight Multirole Missile systems for the Indian Army. The UK government said the agreement would strengthen India’s air-defence capabilities while supporting longer-term cooperation in complex weapons.
The Martlet is manufactured by Thales at its facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The lightweight precision-guided missile weighs around 13 kilograms and uses laser beam-riding guidance. It can be deployed from different platforms, including shoulder-launched and tripod configurations, as well as vehicle-based systems and other platforms. Its flexibility allows it to be used against aerial threats and selected ground targets.
For the Indian Army, the missile’s ability to engage low-flying aerial threats could become particularly relevant as militaries increasingly face drones and other unmanned systems on the battlefield. The UK has also been increasing its focus on the LMM for counter-unmanned aerial system missions, highlighting the missile’s potential against emerging aerial threats.
The proposed Indian order is also significant from an industrial perspective. The larger procurement could deepen cooperation between Indian and British defence companies and potentially create opportunities for joint development and production of future complex weapon systems. India and the UK have already been working toward expanding cooperation in next-generation weapons, including collaboration involving Thales and Bharat Dynamics Limited.
The wider partnership is not limited to missiles. New Delhi and London are also pursuing cooperation in naval technology, including discussions related to electric propulsion for future Indian Navy warships. These initiatives point to a broader shift in bilateral defence relations from conventional equipment purchases toward technology cooperation, industrial partnerships and potential joint development.
The UK has continued to invest in its LMM production capability. Its Defence Equipment and Support annual report for 2025-26 also highlighted the export of Lightweight Multirole Missiles to India, while a UK industrial strategy update noted additional investment supporting LMM production at Thales and jobs in Belfast.
If the new IGA is concluded as expected, the expanded Martlet procurement would represent an important addition to the Indian Army’s precision and short-range air-defence capabilities. More importantly, the agreement could serve as another step in India’s effort to diversify defence partnerships while building stronger links with foreign manufacturers for advanced military technology and future indigenous production.