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Thales UK and India Sign Agreement for STARStreak Man Portable Air Defence Systems.
Thales and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) announce the official signing of an initial supply contract for laser-guided Man Portable Air Defence systems, the High Velocity (HVM) STARStreak missiles, in response to a significant requirement from the Indian government to enhance India’s air defence capabilities. The announcement was made on February 10, 2025.
As part of this agreement, India will receive STARStreak missiles and their associated launchers later this year. (Picture source: Thales)
As part of this agreement, India will receive STARStreak missiles and their associated launchers later this year—marking the first time the country has acquired Thales’s latest Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) system. This milestone also lays the groundwork for a long-term collaboration and production partnership between Thales and BDL, supporting the government’s “Make in India” initiative and ensuring that future needs of the Indian Ministry of Defence are met through local production and technology transfer.
Thales and BDL reaffirm their commitment to transferring (ToT) proven combat capabilities to bolster India’s defence industry. This contract is a pivotal step since the inception of the United Kingdom’s “Defence Partnership-India” program. By removing trade barriers and offering government-to-government contracting where appropriate, this framework further solidifies the strong defence and security ties between the UK and India.
The agreement also strengthens Thales’s longstanding partnership of over 70 years with India and confirms increased investment in the Thales facility in Belfast, where the STARStreak LBRM system is designed. The production partnership in India will stimulate UK production as well, ensuring ongoing collaboration and enhanced manufacturing capacity.
Lord Vernon Coaker, the UK’s Minister of State for Defence, believes this collaboration exemplifies how the UK and India are reinforcing their relationship and partnership in defence. While supporting India’s air defence capabilities and global security, he also views the agreement as demonstrating that defence can serve as an engine for growth, aligning with the UK government’s “Plan for Change.”
Pascale Sourisse, President & CEO of Thales International, considers this stage a defining moment for all stakeholders involved in developing LBRM air defence solutions. She notes that the agreement signifies the start of an exciting chapter in collaboration with BDL, contributes to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, and strengthens the strategic partnership between the UK and India.
Cmde A Madhavarao, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Dynamics Limited, highlights that the agreement marks an important new step, bolstering BDL’s role in the defence ecosystem and its capacity to support current and future customers in LBRM air defence. He emphasizes that this initiative fully aligns with the Indian government’s “Make in India,” “ease of doing business,” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” programs, while boosting local industry through partnerships with international groups such as Thales.
Phil Siveter, CEO of Thales in the UK, states that signing this contract with BDL is a major advancement in supporting India’s air defence capability and further consolidates the partnership between the two nations. He expresses pride in Thales’s air defence expertise, which will deliver combat-proven capabilities to India.
Designed to counter a wide range of airborne threats, STARStreak is a high-velocity missile that uses laser beam guidance. With its speed and precision, it is perfectly suited to protect against fast-moving targets, significantly reinforcing the short-range air defence capabilities of armed forces.
This supply contract opens a new chapter in Thales’s long-standing presence in India and supports the nation’s strategic priorities in local production, self-reliance, and industrial growth.