India is taking a major step toward localizing advanced weapon systems with a joint venture to produce the HAMMER precision‑guided air‑to‑ground munition domestically.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense (SED) have formalized an agreement to manufacture the Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) locally, according to a report by KNN India.
HAMMER is a combat‑proven, precision‑guided munition compatible with multiple platforms. Its modular design allows for flexible deployment across various mission scenarios, a factor that has made it highly valued by operators.
Under the partnership, the joint venture will handle the full lifecycle of the HAMMER system for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, including localization of sub‑assemblies, electronics, and mechanical components.
BEL will oversee final assembly, testing, and quality assurance. Over time, indigenization is expected to reach roughly 60 percent, allowing New Delhi to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains while strengthening domestic capabilities.
The agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year at Aero India 2025 and signals both countries’ commitment to deepening defense industrial collaboration
Strengthening India’s Defense Manufacturing Ecosystem
This latest Indo‑French deal is part of a broader wave of Indian defense industrial expansion that includes contributions from both public and private companies.
For example, VEM Technologies delivered the first center‑fuselage assembly for the Tejas MK‑1A to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, marking the first time a major aircraft sub‑assembly was produced by a private company.
Defense conglomerates have also gained traction. Reliance Defence earlier signed a large‑scale agreement with Germany’s Diehl Defence to locally manufacture the Vulcano 155 mm precision‑guided artillery ammunition system.
The expansion goes beyond weapons manufacturing into testing and integration infrastructure. Axiscades Aerospace & Technologies recently inaugurated a missile‑test bench facility at its Aeroland campus in Devanahalli.
This facility is expected to support mass production, integration, and quality assurance of missile and launcher platforms in India under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.
