The shoulder-fired Javelin system features an automatic guidance mechanism that allows the missile to track its target after launch, enabling the operator to take cover and avoid counterfire.
India is planning to buy the battle-tested Javelin single-man-portable, ‘fire-and-forget’, medium-range anti-tank weapon system, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said. The US State Department approved the sale of the FGM-148 Javelin weapon system to India in November last year, in a move to strengthen defence cooperation between New Delhi and Washington.
“BIG news! India plans to buy the battle-tested Javelin anti-tank system. Just as US Secretary of State Pete Hegseth highlighted at the May 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, this is a great step forward in the US-India defence relationship and opens the door to co-production possibilities. The engagement between our two nations is at record-high levels,” Gor said in a post on X.
BIG news! India plans to buy the battle-tested Javelin anti-tank system. Just as @secwar highlighted at the May 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, this is a great step forward in the U.S.-India defense relationship and opens the door to co-production possibilities. The engagement between…
— Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) August 28, 2026
The missile system is already in service with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, as well as several international customers, the embassy added.
“The agreement creates new opportunities for the defence industries of both countries to work together. We see tremendous potential for future cooperation that strengthens the defence industrial bases of both countries,” Gor added.
It is not immediately known how many Javelin anti-tank guided missile systems India is procuring or the overall cost of the procurement. New Delhi also did not immediately comment on the agreement.
About Javelin
The Javelin — a portable anti-tank missile system jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and RTX for use against armoured targets — is widely deployed by the US and allied forces.
The shoulder-fired system features an automatic guidance mechanism that allows the missile to track its target after launch, enabling the operator to take cover and avoid counterfire.
The javelin hits the canopy of the tank from where people enter the cockpit, which is the least armoured part of the tank. It flies in an inverted U-shaped trajectory from launch to hit to precisely strike its target.
The gunner selects the target using a cursor, after which the command launch unit sends a lock-on-before-launch signal to the missile. Its light weight allows troops to reposition after firing or reload to engage another threat.
Its soft-launch design also allows the system to be fired safely from enclosed structures, including buildings and bunkers.
The Javelin was developed and produced for the US Army and Marine Corps by the Javelin Joint Venture, involving Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Florida, and Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona.
US-India Ties
The development comes amid India’s expanding procurement of US defence equipment. In November 2025, the US State Department approved a potential USD 93 million sale to India covering up to 100 Javelin systems and 216 Excalibur guided artillery projectiles.
