India to get Javelin missile assembly facility

Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, signed a memorandum of understanding to co-produce the Javelin All Up Round missile in India, the companies announced Sunday.

Under the agreement, Tata Advanced Systems and the joint venture, known as JJV, will explore setting up a final assembly and integration facility in India for the Javelin round, along with local component production capabilities. Tata was selected as the prime partner for the effort after JJV evaluated multiple Indian companies based on capability and expertise.

The arrangement calls for Lockheed Martin’s facility in Troy, Alabama, to continue producing sub-assembly kits, while Raytheon’s facility in Tucson, Arizona, would continue building guidance electronics units. Those components would then be shipped to India for final assembly and integration, keeping the initial manufacturing work inside the existing U.S. supply chain while adding a final production step in India.

“Partnering with Tata Advanced Systems Limited to establish a dedicated Javelin final assembly and integration facility in India is a pivotal step in ensuring a resilient, supply chain for this critical anti-tank weapon system,” said Rich Liccion, vice president of JJV and program director for Lockheed Martin Javelin.

“This agreement with Tata Advanced Systems Limited establishes a foundation to strengthen the global supply chain for Javelin,” said Jenna Hunt Frazier, JJV president and Javelin program director at Raytheon. “It supports faster fielding of the proven Javelin weapon system and sustained readiness for partner nations.”

“We are pleased to partner with the Javelin Joint Venture on this important next step in our long-standing relationship with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon,” said Sukaran Singh, chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Advanced Systems Limited. “This initiative brings critical assembly expertise and knowledge transfer into India’s defence industrial ecosystem, while strengthening self-reliance. Local assembly of the Javelin All Up Round will enhance operational readiness and ensure timely access to proven, combat-ready capability for the Indian Armed Forces.”

The Javelin is a shoulder-fired, fire-and-forget anti-tank missile system. The JJV, split between Raytheon’s Tucson facility and Lockheed Martin’s plant in Orlando, Florida, has produced more than 55,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units to date.

India’s military already operates the Javelin. The country signed a $125 million foreign military sale agreement with the U.S. in April 2025 to acquire Javelin missiles and launchers, following earlier trials the Indian Army conducted with the system.