India-UK Strengthen Defence Ties with £350M Missile Contract, Northern Ireland to Gain 700+ Jobs

India and the United Kingdom have strengthened their defence and trade partnerships during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to India. The two countries signed a £350 million ($468 million) contract under which the Indian Army will receive UK-made Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs). The deal is expected to directly secure over 700 jobs in Northern Ireland, where the missiles will be manufactured, the UK Ministry of Defence said.

“The contract will deliver UK-manufactured LMMs built in Belfast to the Indian Army, representing another significant boost for the UK defence industry and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change,” the Ministry said. The missiles currently produced for Ukraine will now also be supplied to India. The agreement could pave the way for a broader complex weapons partnership, currently under negotiation.

British Defence Secretary John Healey highlighted the economic benefits: “As we deepen our defence relationship with India, we will harness the UK defence industry as an engine for growth, securing vital jobs in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.”

LMMs, developed by Belfast-based Thales Air Defence, are versatile missiles capable of air-to-surface, air-to-air, surface-to-air, and surface-to-surface operations. Named after the mythical Martlet bird from English heraldry, the missiles were developed from the Starburst surface-to-air system to meet the UK’s “Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (Light)” requirement.

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The visit also advanced India-UK collaboration on electric-powered engines for naval ships, with both countries signing the next phase of a deal worth an initial £250 million.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the deepening ties, calling India and the UK “natural partners” grounded in shared democratic values.

Speaking on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in July, he said, “With this Agreement, import costs between the two countries will come down, new employment opportunities will be generated, trade will increase, and this will benefit our industries and consumers. Your visit with the largest business delegation ever is a symbol of the new vigour in India-UK partnership.”

Starmer, accompanied by a delegation of 125 business leaders, cultural representatives, and university Vice-Chancellors, also witnessed the signing of agreements boosting film co-productions between the British Film Institute and India’s National Film Development Corporation, further strengthening cultural and commercial ties.