India, UK to Sign Agreements for Maritime Electric Propulsion Systems and Light

India and the UK are poised to sign two significant agreements that will strengthen their bilateral ties in defense cooperation. The first agreement is an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) aimed at developing maritime electric propulsion systems for four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) of the Indian Navy.

This system is expected to power bigger warships of the Indian Navy with a displacement of over 6,000 tonnes.

The electric propulsion capability is meant to be first tested on Landing Platform Docks, which are currently powered The Indian Navy does not have electric propulsion systems at present, and this agreement will mark a significant step towards modernizing its warships. For related coverage, explore our detailed analysis on Technology and Digital Systems.

Maritime Electric Propulsion System for LPDs

GE Vernova and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd will establish India’s first maritime Land-Based Testing Facility to support the development of the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) system. This facility will play a crucial role in testing and validating the performance of the IFEP system before it is integrated into Indian warships.

The second agreement is for procuring hundreds of British Lightweight Multirole Missles (LMMs) for the Indian Army. These missiles are equipped with a triple-effect warhead and proximity fuse, making them effective against various threats such as light-armoured, wheeled and tracked vehicles or aerial platforms.

According to Thales UK, the LMMs have a range of over 6 km and a velocity of Mach 1.5, providing fast re-engagement and fire-on-the-move capability. The missiles are available on shoulder launch, tripod and vehicle configurations, making them versatile for different operational scenarios.

British Lightweight Multirole Missiles

The signing of these agreements marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties between India and the UK in defense cooperation. Both countries have been working closely together to explore opportunities for cooperation in defense procurement, joint research and development, and capacity building.

The government statement issued during former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s India visit mentioned that the agreements will further support India’s air defence capabilities and meet the current and future requirements of the Indian Ministry of Defence. The signing of these agreements is expected to strengthen India’s position in the global defense market and enhance its strategic partnership with the UK.

Read More: Rescue Efforts Intensify After Cargo Ship Sinks Off Odisha Coast

India and the UK are “very soon” poised to sign an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) aimed at developing maritime electric propulsion systems for four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) for the Indian Navy, British authorities stated Wednesday. They also indicated that a second inter-governmental agreement between the countries is set to be inked soon for the procurement of British Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) for the Indian Army.

Responding to a question from The Indian Express, a top British official stated an IGA for the maritime electric propulsion system for four LPDs will be signed “very shortly”. As part of the collaboration, GE Vernova and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd will establish India’s first maritime Land-Based Testing Facility to support the development of the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) system.

Indian warships at present do not have electric propulsion systems. They are currently powered The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers of the UK Royal Navy are integrated full electric propulsion vessels. The electric propulsion capability is meant to power bigger warships of the Indian Navy, with a displacement of over 6,000 tonnes and will be first tested on Landing Platform Docks.

A joint statement delivered The official quoted above stated that negotiations and working groups have been ongoing and have been productive, adding that both sides have also been in talks over India’s naval fleet modernisation programme, which will also include retrofitting of certain legacy ships with electric propulsion systems, aside from looking at other modern warships of the Indian Navy. A Statement of Intent (SoI) on Cooperation on Design and Development of Electric Propulsion Systems for the Indian Navy was signed A government statement at the time mentioned that the SoI provided a framework for cooperation in the co-design, co-creation and co-production of electric-propulsion capabilities for future Indian vessels.

On the deal for LMMs, British authorities stated hundreds are set to be procured The announcement was made during former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s India visit. The India-UK joint statement, delivered in October 2025, stated that both sides have concurred to proceed via the government-to-government route on an initial supply of LMM systems.

“This will further support India’s air defence capabilities and, in the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat, meet the current and future requirements of the Indian Ministry of Defence, and support a long-term collaboration on complex weapons between the two countries,” it had stated. According to Thales UK, the LMMs are equipped with a triple-effect warhead and proximity fuse, and thus respond to various threats like light-armoured, wheeled and tracked vehicles or aerial platforms.

The missiles weigh 13kg, have an range of over 6 km and a velocity of Mach 1.5. They can address various surface threats, from vehicles to static installations and provide surface-to-air capability targeting UAS and helicopters. It can provide very fast re-engagement and fire-on-the-move capability, and is available on shoulder launch, tripod and vehicle configurations, Thales stated.

The signing of the order will make India one of the largest customers of the missile.