 "The air-to-ground modular Weapon (AASM) Hammer on display at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. File image/AFP")
The ‘Make in India’ defence plan has received a major boost after state-run Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and French firm Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) signed a joint venture cooperation agreement (JVCA) for the production of Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (Hammer) smart precision-guided air-to-ground weapon system, in India.
The development is significant because India previously ordered this weapon system through an emergency procurement route in 2020 during the standoff with China following the Galwan clash.
As per the agreement signed between the two firms, “The JVC shall be formed as a private limited company with 50:50 shareholding. It will localise the manufacturing, supply and maintenance of Hammer to meet the operational needs of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.”
Interestingly, the Hammer weapons system showed its true potential during India’s Operation Sindoor when the Armed Forces destroyed terror camps across the border in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well as parts of Pakistan.
What is the Hammer weapons system?
The Hammer is an air-to-surface weapon with a guidance and propulsion kit that turns munitions into precision-guided bombs capable of deep strikes and close-air-support missions.
Developed by France’s Safran Electronics & Defence, Hammer systems combine conventional bombs with GPS, INS and infrared/semi-active laser guidance kits. The Hammer system also supports multiple warhead configurations at 125 kilogrammes, 250 kg, 500 kg and 1,000 kg. Moreover, based on the variant, it boasts of a range of up to 70 kilometres.
The French firm behind the Hammer weapons system also notes that with its fire-and-forget ability, it can even engage moving targets and has 99 per cent successful strikes in combat. Moreover, as its name suggests, it can be launched from low altitude, over rough terrain.
Notably, the Hammer weapons system was first used in combat in Afghanistan in 2008 and has since been used in other combat operations in Mali, Libya and Syria. It has also been deployed by several Nato-aligned countries. Ukraine has received several hundred Hammer systems from France since early 2024 and has used them across multiple aircraft types.
Has India used the Hammer weapons system?
In 2020 amid rising tensions over the clash of Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan along the Line of Actual Control, India made an emergency purchase of the Hammer weapons system from France. Notably, it was kept out of the 2016 contract for 36 Rafale fighter jets and the weapons package due to its cost, which would have inflated the price of the contract. At that time, India had chosen Israel’s Spice 2000 used in the Balakot strikes.
India then deployed the Hammer weapons system during Operation Sindoor earlier in May. The Indian Air Force carried out multiple strikes and raids against terror targets deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) using Hammer munitions launched from Rafale fighter jets as well as Scalp missiles.
Many defence experts noted that the Hammer’s ability to be fully autonomous and unaffected by jamming was the reason that India chose it for Operation Sindoor. Moreover, its ability to be launched at low altitude, made it the perfect choice to penetrate fortified structures, such as the terrorist targets such as Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur , which is considered as the operational headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, as well as the 200-acre Markaz Taiba, the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s compound.
So, what’s in the new deal now between India and France?
On Monday (November 24), BEL and Safran signed a joint venture cooperation agreement to produce Hammer weapons system in the country. This agreement builds on the memorandum of understanding signed at Aero India on February 11, strengthening the two sides’ intent to establish a Joint Venture Company (JVC) in India with a 50:50 shareholding structure.
As per the deal, the JVC shall be formed as a private limited company with 50:50 shareholding. As per the ministry, the deal will see localisation of manufacturing, supply and maintenance of Hammer weapons system in order to meet the operational needs of the Indian Air Force as well as the Indian Navy.
Furthermore, the indigenisation will progressively increase to 60 per cent with key sub-assemblies, electronics and mechanical parts being manufactured locally. The transfer of production will happen in a phased manner with BEL leading final assembly, testing and quality assurance, the ministry added.
The new pact builds on a series of defence collaborations between Indian and French firms. Earlier this year, India and France formally signed a defence agreement for the acquisition of 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets , a deal valued at over Rs 63,000 crore.
In August, it was reported that New Delhi was also looking to seal the deal for the procurement of three Scorpene submarines, which will be jointly constructed by state-run Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and French defence major Naval Group.
Also, India reportedly is set to launch a landmark collaboration with France to co-develop and manufacture a powerful new jet engine for its indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
With inputs from agencies