India To Make Air-To-Ground Weapon At Home With France’s Safran

India and France have deepened defense cooperation with a pact to jointly produce an air-to-ground weapon, a move aligned with New Delhi’s broader push for self-reliance in advanced military technology.

Indian defense contractor Bharat Electronics and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense have signed an agreement to manufacture a precision-guided weapon system in the South Asian nation, according to a statement Monday from India’s Ministry of Defence. 

The system, known as HAMMER, will be designed for multiple platforms including the Rafale fighter jet and the Tejas light combat aircraft, the ministry said. The joint venture will localize the manufacturing, supply and maintenance of the weapon that precision guides munitions released from aircraft. Financial details weren’t disclosed.

The deal is the latest defense tie-up between an Indian firm and Safran. In August, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said India would work on manufacturing fighter jet engines in the country with the French firm, the latest indication of India looking to expand its defense partnerships beyond the US and Russia. 

The Indian government this year approved the purchase of 26 French-made Rafale marine fighter jets in a deal worth 640 billion rupees ($7.2 billion). 

The French jets have become an increasingly important part of the country’s arsenal as it faces rivals China and Pakistan on both its eastern and western frontiers. 

However, India’s home-grown defense ambitions were dealt a blow last week after an Indian-made Tejas fighter — India’s only domestically developed fighter — crashed during a flight demonstration at the Dubai Airshow, killing the pilot. The Indian Air Force said an investigation had begun.