In a significant move toward domestic production of advanced weapon systems, India has launched a joint venture to locally manufacture the HAMMER precision-guided air-to-ground munition. The initiative stems from a formal agreement between Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics & Defense (SED) of France to produce the Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) within India.
The HAMMER, a modular and combat-tested precision munition compatible with multiple aircraft, is valued for its flexible configuration that supports varied operational needs.
The joint venture will manage the full lifecycle of the system for the Indian Air Force and Navy, including localization of major electronics, mechanical components, and sub-assemblies. BEL will take charge of final integration, testing, and certification. Over time, the project aims to achieve close to 60% indigenous content, enhancing national defense capability and minimizing external supply reliance.
The partnership follows an MoU signed at Aero India 2025 and reflects ongoing efforts to deepen industrial defense cooperation between India and France.
This initiative fits into a broader national effort to expand defense manufacturing. Notably, VEM Technologies recently produced the first center-fuselage section of the Tejas MK-1A for HAL—an important achievement for private-sector aerospace. In another milestone, Reliance Defence agreed with Diehl Defence to locally manufacture the Vulcano 155mm guided artillery round.
India is also bolstering testing and integration capacity, with Axiscades Aerospace & Technologies recently opening a missile-test bench in Devanahalli to support scale production as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
