US approves sale of Javelin missile systems and Excalibur artillery munitions worth $93 million to India

The US State Department has approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and Excalibur guided artillery to India worth $93 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Wednesday.

The purchase of US defense equipment is India’s first purchase under Washington’s Foreign Military Sales program since relations soured in August when President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% as punishment for New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.

It follows this month’s re-order of fighter jet engines made by General Electric to provide more power to India’s home-made Tejas fighter planes.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defense partner that remains a vital force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions,” DSCA said in a statement.

The DSCA said the Indian government had requested to purchase 216 Excalibur tactical projectiles and 100 units of the Javelin system. India already uses Excalibur artillery ammunition in its M-777 howitzers.

DSCA said the prime contractors for the sale will be RTX Corp for the Excalibur projectile and its joint venture with Lockheed Martin for the Javelin system.