By A Correspondent

Bengaluru (Karnataka): India’s state-run Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense on Feb. 11, 2025, announced the signing of a partnership to create a joint venture for the manufacturing, customisation, sale, and maintenance of HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) Smart Precision Guided Air-to-Ground Weapon in India.

BEL’s Director (Marketing) K. V. Suresh Kumar and Safran executive vice president Alexandre Ziegler signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in the presence of BEL Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Jain and Safran chief executive officer Franck Saudo at the AeroIndia 2025.

“The proposed joint venture between BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense will be a major step toward strengthening India’s capabilities in defense manufacturing and achieving self-reliance in advanced weapon systems,”

“It will localise HAMMER production, enable the development of future variants, and support the Government of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative by reducing import dependence.

“The collaboration will facilitate technology transfer, create opportunities for Indian industries, especially SMEs
and position India as a global hub for smart ammunition production,” Manoj Jain said.

“This joint venture partnership with BEL marks an important milestone for Safran Electronics & Defense. By creating this center of excellence combining the best of Safran with the best of BEL in smart precision-guided munitions, we are supporting the government’s ‘Make in India‘ programme, as well as strengthening both India’s sovereign defence capabilities and Safran’s industrial presence in India,” Franck Saudo said.

As part of this partnership, BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense also plan to establish a Center of Excellence aimed at enhancing India’s defence capabilities.

This center will bolster joint industrial activities in manufacturing, engineering, and associated services such as operational maintenance, repairs, and overhauls of optronics and navigation equipment for the Indian armed forces.

Safran Electronics & Defense will bring its expertise by implementing a knowledge transfer programme. The transfer of production will happen in a phased manner with BEL leading final assembly, testing, and quality assurance.

This strategic collaboration, which is in sync with the Government of India‘s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat‘ initiative, will facilitate the creation of a state-of-the-art production facility in India, making the country a key hub for advanced smart munitions. It will reduce imports dependency and strengthen India’s self-reliance and operational readiness in defence.

HAMMER is a combat-proven, precision-guided weapon system known for its high accuracy and modular design, making it adaptable for multiple platforms, including the Rafale and LCA Tejas.

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