The Next Step is for the LTMMSL to Win New Flagship Missile Programmes to Meet the Requirements of the Indian Armed Forces
With the increasing focus on indigenous R&D and production, do you envisage a possibility of your JV with L&T also engaging in research and development?
Yes, L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited is focused on supporting and delivering Aatmanirbhar Bharat through development and production of missile systems in India.
What progress has the JV made since it came into being?
L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited has already set up a facility in Coimbatore that is manufacturing and exporting equipment today, some of which is in turn delivered to the Indian armed forces. In addition, LTMMSL is bidding on multiple programmes for the Indian armed forces at present: it has offered the vertical launch Sea Ceptor air defence system for the Indian Navy’s VL-SRSAM requirement, Exocet MM40 for the Indian’s Navy’s medium range anti-ship missile requirement and is offering an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) under the Make in India programme.
What is the update on your existing programmes across the IAF, Army and the Navy?
Today LTMMSL is manufacturing MICA equipment and missile launchers in Coimbatore and exporting them, some of which in turn get delivered for the Indian Air Force’s Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter aircraft. In addition, we continue to work on supporting the Indian armed force’s new requirements, through bidding activities on the SRSAM and anti-ship missile requirements for the Indian Navy and the anti-tank missile requirements of the Indian Army.
Given the government acquisition policies, what is your focus in India, both in the medium and the long term?
L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited is a committed partner of the Indian armed forces that is building on the very strong relationships that Larsen & Toubro and the MBDA have with the Indian military. We are focused on growing our business in India, the key to this is delivering on our existing programmes. The next step is for the LTMMSL to win new flagship missile programmes to meet the requirements of the Indian armed forces.
Do you feel discouraged by the increasing competition in India? What is your roadmap for staying ahead of your competitors in the price-sensitive Indian market?
The LTMMSL is not discouraged by competition. Our strategy in India has remained very consistent for a long time, to deliver the best solutions to the Indian armed forces that provide a battle-winning edge and to do so in close partnership with the Indian industry. We are proud to have parent companies with a very successful track record of delivering on both pillars of this strategy for decades. The LTMMSL is operational today and it is working on missile systems in India. When we look at the future, we see a continuation of our close and trusted relationship with the government, the armed services and our partnerships with the Indian industry continue to deepen. In this way we can see that the twin pillars of our strategy support the strengthening of India both through advanced weapon systems and strong industrial capability.
Technology is moving towards autonomous and intelligent weapons. What kind of futuristic work is going on in the LTMMSL?
A good example of this is the LTMMSL’s offer of the Sea Ceptor naval air defence system to the Indian Navy for its SRSAM requirement. The Sea Ceptor is a highly advanced naval weapon system that, thanks to the MBDA’s pioneering research and expertise in these fields, features high levels of autonomy and intelligence through both the missile and the wider system. These features enable the Sea Ceptor system to autonomously prioritise threats and intelligently optimise the allocation of missiles within an engagement to maximise operational effectiveness and to provide the very highest level of protection from air attacks against Indian sailors.