Thales U.K. and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) have signed a contract for the supply of Laser Beam Riding Man Portable Air Defence (LBRM) Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) missiles and launchers to the Indian Army. According to a report by The Hindu, The procurement, conducted under the emergency acquisition route, includes an initial batch of missiles and launchers to be delivered within a year.
The agreement was announced at Aero India, where Thales stated that future orders could extend to thousands of missiles. The missiles are part of the fourth tranche of emergency procurements, requiring deliveries to begin within six months of signing the contract. BDL will manufacture several components, with the indigenous content expected to reach 60%.
Expansion Plans in India
Thales is also planning to expand its operations in India by doubling the number of engineers at its competence centers, which currently employ around 1,600 personnel. The company aims to strengthen its hiring efforts to meet growing demands.
In addition, Thales is increasing sourcing from Indian suppliers. It works with over 75 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that contribute to its global supply chain. The company also collaborates with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and other Indian firms for production and localization initiatives.
Thales is further expanding its civil aviation presence in India, establishing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Gurugram to support airlines, including Air India. The company has been selected to provide in-flight solutions for 51 aircraft in the airline’s fleet.
Collaborations in Defence and Space
In a separate development, Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo of Italy, signed a contract with NIBE Space for the supply of a high-resolution optical satellite for an earth observation constellation.
During the air show, Thales and BEL announced the delivery of the 7,000th transmit/receive (T/R) module for the RBE2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar used in Rafale fighter jets. This production transfer began in 2017, with the first RBE2 radar featuring an Indian-manufactured front end delivered in 2020.
According to Thales, its efforts in localization and manufacturing in India are aligned with both domestic and export market requirements.