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BEL inks deal with French firm to produce smart weapon HAMMER in India
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and French firm Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) on Monday signed a joint venture cooperation agreement (JVCA) for the production of the HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) smart weapon in India, in a major impetus to the self-reliance drive, the defence ministry said.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and French firm Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) on Monday signed a joint venture cooperation agreement (JVCA) for the production of the HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) smart weapon in India, in a major impetus to the self-reliance drive, the defence ministry said.
The Indian Air Force’s Rafale fighter jets are equipped with HAMMER precision guided air-to-ground weapon, which was used during the four-day military confrontation with Pakistan in May under Operation Sindoor.
The agreement formalises the intent expressed in the MoU signed between BEL and SED in February 2025 during Aero India, reaffirming the willingness of both sides to incorporate a potential Joint Venture Company (JVC) in India. The JVC shall be formed as a private limited company with a 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. The indigenisation level will progressively increase up to 60% 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 defence ministry said in a statement.
The all-weather smart weapon of French origin allows pilots to engage ground targets from a standoff range of up to 60km.
BEL chief Manoj Jain and SED executive vice president Alexandre Ziegler signed the JVCA in the presence of secretary (defence production) Sanjeev Kumar and Safran CEO Olivier Andries in Delhi.
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 Tejas light combat aircraft, the defence ministry said. “This JVCA underscores BEL’s commitment to strengthening India’s defence industrial base and aims at leveraging SED’s extensive experience in manufacturing smart precision guided air-to-ground weapons.”
