India-France Defense Collaboration: BEL and Safran Partner to Manufacture HAMMER Precision-Guided Missiles in India

The production will gradually achieve up to 60 percent indigenisation with key sub-assemblies being manufactured locally.

New Delhi:

A prominent Indian defence public sector undertaking and a French company established a partnership on Monday for the production of Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) precision-guided weapon system in India, according to the defence ministry.

HAMMER is a battle-tested, precision-guided weapon system renowned for its exceptional accuracy and modular design, making it compatible with various platforms, including the Rafale and light combat aircraft Tejas, the ministry stated.

In a significant boost to 'Make-in-India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) of India and Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) of France "signed a Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement (JVCA) for the production of highly agile modular munition extended range (HAMMER) smart precision-guided air-to-ground weapon in India," the ministry announced in a statement.

This JVCA highlights BEL's dedication to enhancing India's defence industrial foundation, and seeks to utilize SED's comprehensive expertise in manufacturing smart, precision-guided, air-to-ground weapon systems, according to the statement.

The agreement was signed by BEL Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Jain and SED Executive Vice-President Alexandre Ziegler, with Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar and SED Chief Executive Officer Olivier Andries present at the ceremony in New Delhi.

Monday's agreement formalizes the intent previously expressed in the memorandum of understanding signed between BEL and SED on February 11 during Aero India, reconfirming both parties' willingness to establish a potential Joint Venture Company (JVC) in India, the ministry statement added.

The JVC will be established as a private limited company with equal 50:50 shareholding. It will localize the manufacturing, supply, and maintenance of HAMMER to fulfill the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, according to the statement.

The indigenisation level will progressively increase to 60 percent, with key sub-assemblies, electronics, and mechanical parts being manufactured locally. The transfer of production will be implemented in phases, with BEL taking the lead in final assembly, testing, and quality assurance, the ministry explained.