Thales and India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) are set to supply the first batch of Laser Beam Riding MANPAD (LBRM) Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) Missiles and launchers to the Indian Ministry of Defence.
The announcement was made by the companies on 11 February 2025, at the ongoing Aero India 2025 show in Bengaluru, India.
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This comes in response to the Indian Government’s call for enhanced air defence capabilities in June 2024.
The delivery of high velocity missiles (Starstreak) and launchers, scheduled for this year, marks the first instance of India acquiring this VSHORAD technology.
The procurement is aimed at bolstering India’s air defence prowess, equipping the Indian Armed Forces with the latest in accurate and countermeasure-resistant systems.
BDL chairman and managing director A Madhavarao said: “This initiative aligns perfectly with our Government’s ‘Make in India,’ ‘ease of doing business,’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ programmes, giving a major boost to the local industry through partnerships with global organisations like Thales.”
In 2021, Thales and BDL signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on the LBRM project, with backing from both Indian and UK Governments.
The collaboration aims for a transfer of technology (ToT) of combat-proven capabilities to India.
The LBRMs are manufactured with up to 60% of their components being sourced from within India.
They are specifically designed to defend against various aerial threats, including fixed-wing fighter ground attack aircraft, late unmasking attack helicopters, and drones.
UK State Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker said: “While supporting India’s air defence capability and global security, this agreement also demonstrates defence as an engine for growth and delivers on the government’s Plan for Change.”
This contract marks the first pact since the initiation of the UK’s Defence Partnership-India.
This programme office facilitates easier trade by breaking down barriers and provides government-to-government contracting, strengthening the defence and security ties between the two countries.
Thales International president and CEO Pascale Sourisse said: “The UK-India strategic partnership finds renewed strength through this contract, which is poised to make a significant impact in the domain of air defence in India.”
This production partnership with India is expected to boost production at the Thales facility in Belfast, where the LBRM is designed.
Earlier in February 2025, the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) completed three consecutive flight trials of the home-grown VSHORADS. The system is designed by DRDO.
