Key Takeaways
- India and the U.K. are poised to sign two inter‑governmental agreements (IGAs) covering Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) for Indian Navy landing platform docks and co‑production of Marlet lightweight multirole missiles (LMM).
- The U.K. is also pushing for a jet‑engine partnership to power India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), competing with French and U.S. offers.
- Defence cooperation is anchored by the 10‑year “Vision 2035” Defense Industrial Roadmap, which emphasizes joint R&D, technology transfer, and co‑development in electric propulsion, jet engines, and missile systems.
- Beyond hardware, the relationship is expanding through joint exercises, logistics sharing, instructor exchanges, and the recently ratified India‑U.K. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that took effect in July 2026.
- Strategic convergences in the Indo‑Pacific, concerns over China’s naval rise, and complementary industrial capabilities drive the deepening ties, while historical irritants (e.g., Khalistani separatism, U.K.–Pakistan links) remain manageable.
Introduction
India and the United Kingdom are moving swiftly toward finalising two landmark inter‑governmental agreements that will shape the next phase of their defence industrial partnership. The first IGA concerns the incorporation of Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) into four Indian Navy landing platform docks (LPDs). The second IGA focuses on the licensed production of Marlet lightweight multirole missiles (LMM) for the Indian armed forces. Simultaneously, London is lobbying intensely for a jet‑engine collaboration to power India’s indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth‑generation fighter under development. These initiatives are not isolated deals; they are the concrete manifestations of a broader strategic roadmap that aims to transform a traditionally buyer‑seller relationship into a true co‑development and co‑production alliance.
Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) Agreement
The IFEP IGA is set to enable the design, development, and installation of electric propulsion systems on the Indian Navy’s four forthcoming LPDs, each displacing roughly 29,000 tons. Discussions about shifting from diesel‑driven to electric propulsion have been underway for several years, motivated by the Navy’s desire for greater fuel efficiency, reduced logistical burden, and lower emissions. In early 2023 a joint working group titled the “India‑UK electric propulsion capability partnership” was created, and a Statement of Intent to co‑design, co‑create, and co‑produce maritime electric propulsion systems was signed in November 2024. The intent to finalise an IGA was announced during the October 2025 Mumbai summit between the Indian and British prime ministers. As part of the arrangement, GE Vernova and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) will establish India’s first land‑based test facility for IFEP. While the LPD programme represents the initial application, the Indian Navy envisions a 200‑ship fleet by 2035, with potential retrofits of existing vessels. The Royal Navy’s two‑decade operational experience with IFEP—including its deployment on the Queen Elizabeth‑class carriers—offers India a shortcut that could avert a protracted learning curve. However, the timetable for IFEP deployment hinges on the LPD procurement reaching fruition within a reasonable window, a factor often complicated by India’s notoriously lengthy defence acquisition process.
The Elusive Engine Deal for AMCA
Parallel to the IFEP talks, India is seeking a global partner to design and develop a 120 kN turbofan engine for the AMCA‑Mk2, the advanced variant of its fifth‑generation fighter. Negotiations with France’s Safran and India’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) have persisted for years without conclusion, opening the door for competitors such as the United Kingdom’s Rolls Royce and the United States’ General Electric. Rolls Royce has leveraged its longstanding collaboration with GTRE, offering a package that includes full intellectual‑property (IP) control over the jointly developed engine. On 14 August 2025 Rolls Royce announced a partnership with Reliance Industries Limited to explore creating a dedicated Aerospace Gas Turbine Complex in India, positioning the venture as a centre of excellence for power and propulsion technology. Nevertheless, practical considerations loom large. Although officials assert that U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) will not impede the engine IGA, Indian policymakers remain wary of the U.K.’s close alignment with Washington and the potential spill‑over effects on future deals. Moreover, roughly half of India’s fighter squadron strength—spanning the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and AMCA‑Mk1—is slated to be powered by GE engines, a U.S. source. This existing dependence favours France, whose independent defence industry and growing Indo‑French strategic convergence (including interest in the French Future Combat Air System) present an attractive alternative. Should the selected engine or a derivative be compatible with the FCAS programme, the economic and operational dividends could be substantial for both parties.
Widening Defence Cooperation Beyond Propulsion and Engines
The IFEP and engine discussions are embedded in a wider tapestry of bilateral defence initiatives launched over the past year. At Aero India 2025 the U.K. unveiled “Defense Partnership–India” (DP‑I), a dedicated cell within its Ministry of Defence tasked with deepening cooperation. Several ancillary agreements were signed at the Bengaluru expo, including licensed production of Starstreak man‑portable air‑defence systems (MANPADS) and LMMs, as well as the establishment of an advanced short‑range air‑to‑air missile (ASRAAM) assembly and test facility in India. The two navies conducted their largest‑ever joint maritime exercise, featuring Carrier Strike Group operations, while a separate air‑defence drill saw Royal Navy aircraft training alongside Indian Navy and Indian Air Force units. A contract for 16 Starstreak launchers, 56 missiles, and one simulator—valued at around US $35 million—was awarded to Thales U.K. and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) under the Emergency Procurement route, with prospects for expansion to thousands of missiles. Concurrently, MBDA U.K. and BDL are setting up a first‑of‑its‑kind ASRAAM assembly and test facility in Hyderabad, intended to serve both domestic requirements and export markets. British defence firms such as Thales, Rolls Royce, and others have increasingly integrated Indian suppliers into their global supply chains, a trend that the newly ratified India‑U.K. Free Trade Agreement (effective July 2026) is poised to accelerate. The maturation of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem—demonstrated during recent West Asian contingencies—offers the scale and capacity that foreign partners seek, reinforcing the mutual benefit of deeper industrial entwining.
Military‑to‑Military Engagement and Logistics Cooperation
Beyond materiel, the partnership is being strengthened through personnel exchanges and logistics arrangements. Early this year, three Indian Air Force qualified flying instructors were deployed to a Royal Air Force training base, embedding Indian officers as instructors across all three U.K. service academies. The bilateral logistics sharing agreement signed in 2022 allows Royal Navy vessels undergoing deployment in the Indian Ocean Region to obtain spares, supplies, and essential repairs at Indian shipyards, enhancing operational sustainability. Britain has also posted a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC‑IOR) in Gurugram—the fifth nation to do so—underscoring a shared commitment to maritime domain awareness. These interlocking mechanisms create a resilient framework that can sustain cooperation even amid geopolitical turbulence.
Strategic Context and Managing Historical Irritants
The deepening ties are driven by overlapping strategic imperatives. Both nations view India as a pivotal stabilising force in the Indo‑Pacific, a theatre where China’s expanding naval presence compels New Delhi to bolster its capabilities and seek reliable partners. The U.K., seeking to re‑establish a foothold in India’s rapidly growing defence market after years of relative disengagement, regards the partnership as a means to regain influence while supporting a rules‑based order. Historical sensitivities—such as Khalistani separatist activities in the U.K. and Britain’s longstanding links with Pakistan—have occasionally strained relations, but both governments have demonstrated a determination to look past these irritants in favour of broader security and economic gains. The overarching “Vision 2035” Defence Industrial Roadmap, which outlines joint R&D, technology sharing, and co‑development in advanced weapons systems, provides the structural backbone that transcends episodic disagreements.
Conclusion and Outlook
The imminent signing of the IFEP and LMM IGAs, coupled with the vigorous pursuit of a jet‑engine partnership for the AMCA, signals a transformative shift in India‑U.K. defence relations. What began as traditional buyer‑seller interactions is evolving into a robust, multidirectional collaboration encompassing propulsion technologies, missile systems, jet engines, joint exercises, logistics sharing, and personnel exchanges. If the parties can navigate the procedural complexities of India’s procurement system and address lingering concerns over IP protection and third‑party influences, the agreements have the potential to lock in decades of cooperative innovation. Ultimately, the partnership stands to enhance India’s self‑reliance in critical defence technologies while offering the U.K. a strategic gateway into one of the world’s most dynamic defence markets—an outcome that aligns with the long‑term aspirations articulated in the Vision 2035 roadmap.