India to buy US Javelin anti-tank guided missile system
17 Aug 2010
New Delhi: India's ministry of defence has expressed its interest in procuring the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system (ATGM) from the United States, India's lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, was informed on Monday. It is understood that both countries entered into talks for the sale of the system after it was showcased to Indian troops during a bilateral exercise involving mechanised forces of the two armies in Babina Cantonment near Jhansi in October last year.
"The defence ministry proposes to issue a Letter of Request (LoR) to the US government under their Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route for procurement of third generation anti-tank guided missile along with transfer of technology," defence minister AK Antony said in a written reply to a query.
The acquisition of this third generation anti-tank guided missile system will be undertaken under the US government's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme and will also involve transfer of technology.
Under defence deals through the FMS route, India doesn't have to issue a global tender and the deal is solemnised between the two governments.
The Javelin deal will become the third such procurement under the FMS programme this year.
In January this year, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified the Congress of possible sale of 145 M777 155mm light-weight towed howitzers at an estimated cost of $467 million.
