NEW DELHI :

 

GLOBAL defence major Thales and a subsidiary of Bharat Forge have signed a “Strategic Alliance Agreement” to explore collaboration on both unguided and laser-guided variants of Thales’ combat-proven 70-mm rocket systems to help enhance the operational readiness of the Indian armed forces,officials said on Thursday. The 70-mm rocket systems of Thales arealready in use by the Indian Armed Forces,they said. TheEuropean firmannounced the partnership on Thursday amid the ongoing official visit of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to India. “Aspart of this collaboration, Thales will leverage its longstanding partnership with India and contributeits global expertise in 2.75-inch/70-mm rockets and launchers developed in Belgium,while KSSL will utilise its local manufacturing and testing facilities to support production and integration of components fromThales’qualified supply chain, ensuring international quality standards,” the firm said in a statement. Thales and Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), the wholly-owned defence subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, signed a“Strategic Alliance Agreement to explore collaboration on both the unguided and laser-guided variants of Thales’ 70-mm rocket systems,which arealready in use by the Indian Armed Forces,” it said.

 

The partnership marks asignificant step in strengthening India-Belgium defence cooperation while advancing India’s ambition to become aglobally competitive defence manufacturing hub,the Paris-based firm said. By combining Thales’ advanced rocket technologies and global market reach with KSSL’s established expertise in defence manufacturing, system integration and industrialisation, the companies will create an “indigenous capability” to address domestic requirements and support international opportunities, the statement said. Thales Belgium is a100 per cent subsidiary of the company Thales Group.It combines a strong local industrial footprint with leading expertise in defence, cybersecurity,aerospace and advancedtechnologies. It is a European leader in 70mm rocket systems,offering standard and laser-guided solutions andd eveloping cost-effective counter-UAS capabilities,designed to defeat drones and drone swarms, the statement said. The global company has a presence in India since 1953. In the new era of asymmetric warfare, advanced variants of Thales’ 70 mm rockets areincreasingly wellsuited to counter-drone missions, delivering reliable and scalable effectiveness against evolving aerial threats,the firm said.