India and France have finalized plans to establish a joint venture for the local production of the HAMMER weapon system, following a bilateral agreement signed in November 2025.
The partnership will be structured as an equal 50:50 venture between Safran and Bharat Electronics Limited. Safran brings the original design and technology for the precision-guided munition, while BEL will co-manufacture and provide technical support within India.
The joint entity will create a dedicated Center of Excellence responsible for producing, servicing, and maintaining HAMMER guidance kits for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. The initiative supports India’s broader “Make in India” defense manufacturing ambitions.
Reports indicate that the facility will also manufacture HAMMER munitions intended for India’s future fleet of 114 Dassault Rafale jets.
The agreement comes during French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to India, where discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are focused on strengthening the India–France Strategic Partnership.
Weapon Overview
The HAMMER—short for Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range and known domestically in France as AASM—is a precision-guided air-to-ground weapon capable of striking targets at distances of up to 70 kilometers.
Its modular configuration allows integration with conventional bomb bodies ranging from 125 to 1,000 kilograms. Equipped with inertial navigation and GPS guidance, and optionally enhanced with laser targeting, the system supports accurate engagement of both fixed and moving targets under all-weather, day-and-night conditions.
Already integrated into India’s Rafale fighters, the weapon has reportedly been used in operational scenarios, including Operation Sindoor in May 2025, according to local media sources.
