According to DSCA, the sale is intended to bolster India’s capability to counter “current and future threats,” enhance homeland security, and strengthen its role as a key strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific. The agency also clarified that the transfer will not alter the regional military balance or affect US defence readiness.
Under the first package, worth $45.7 million, India will receive 100 FGM-148 Javelin missiles and 25 lightweight command launch units. The delivery also includes simulator rounds, training material, battery coolant units, spare parts, and technical assistance. The Javelin, a man-portable fire-and-forget missile, uses infrared imaging to detect and strike armored vehicles, bunkers, and tanks at ranges up to 2.5 km, even in poor visibility.
The second package, valued at $47.1 million, includes 216 M982A1 Excalibur smart artillery shells, along with fire control systems, primers, propellant charges, and repair support. The Excalibur, guided by GPS, can strike targets with high precision at distances of 40–50 km—more than double the range of conventional artillery rounds.
The approval follows the India-US 10-year Defence Framework Agreement signed on October 31, which aims to deepen cooperation in advanced technologies, joint research, and emerging defence systems, including drones and artificial intelligence-enabled weapon platforms.
The new arms package is expected to further expand India’s high-precision strike capabilities and reinforce interoperability with US defence systems, strengthening strategic alignment between the two nations at a time of evolving regional security challenges
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