Mistral performed exceptionally well in the firing evaluation trials for India, more than meeting India’s operational requirements and what was demanded of the missile system in mountain, desert and maritime conditions. Our system performed without any issue and was found fully compliant technically and operationally.

You have offered license-production of Mistral. Is this the requirement of the VSHORAD programme? Will this be undertaken by your joint venture with L&T or are you proposing technology transfer to a defence public sector undertaking as in the case of Milan?

As well as the operational advantages of the Mistral missile, there are major industrial advantages being offered if Mistral is selected for India’s VSHORAD requirement, with the missile to be fully manufactured under license in India, under a similar arrangement as for the highly successful production of MILAN in India. As Mistral has already been selected and integrated into the ATAM helicopter launch system for India’s helicopters (namely ALH and LCH), operating Mistral as a MANPADS system will offer major logistics and stock management advantages. Mistral will be manufactured in India by the Production Agency designated in the request for proposal (RFP).