India-UK defence ties have unveiled a 10-year defence roadmap. The focus is on boosting cooperation and strengthening security ties. Both nations will work on co-development and joint research. They will also focus on innovation across defence technologies. Maritime security and military ties will also be strengthened. The roadmap aims for regional stability and a rules-based international order.
🛡️ 1. Strategic Vision: Vision 2035 & Defence Roadmap
At the India–UK Summit in late July 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally adopted the Vision 2035 roadmap, setting a decade‑long strategic framework covering defence, emerging technologies, energy, and counterterrorism cooperation Wikipedia+15GOV.UK+15The Times of India+15The Times of India.
Under this umbrella, the two nations established a 10‑year Defence Industrial Roadmap within a broader “Defence Partnership–India” (DP‑I), backed by a dedicated UK MoD programme office for India The Times of India+7GOV.UK+7Business Standard+7.
This roadmap singles out three priority areas of defence industrial collaboration:
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Complex weapons systems, including missiles developed jointly by UK and Indian defence firms;
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Jet engine advanced core technologies, aimed at powering India’s next‑generation combat aircraft;
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Electric/warship propulsion systems, particularly for LPD-type vessels under the Indian Navy’s future fleet The Times of India+2GOV.UK+2GOV.UK+2Business Standard+1Reddit+1.
⚙️ 2. Complex Weapons & Missile Systems
At Aero India 2025, India and the UK announced landmark co‑development contracts within DP‑I:
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Thales UK entered into a phased manufacturing and transfer arrangement with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for Laser-Beam Riding MANPADS (LBRM/STARStreak). Initial missile and launcher deliveries begin in 2025, with follow‑on work to co‑produce Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) in India Wikipedia+8AeroDef India+8GOV.UK+8.
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In a separate collaboration, MBDA UK and BDL will establish India’s first Advanced Short‑Range Air‑to‑Air Missile (ASRAAM) assembly and testing facility in Hyderabad. This initiative expands India’s capability and positions it for potential exports GOV.UK+8AeroDef India+8thelondonweekly.net+8.
These efforts reinforce India’s ambition of Atmanirbhar Bharat—developing sovereign defence manufacturing and embedding Indian firms into global supply chains Business Standard+5AeroDef India+5Insights IAS+5.
✈️ 3. Jet Engine Technology & Combat Air Platforms
India is preparing to power its next‑generation jets—Tejas Mk II and especially the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)—with co‑developed jet engines under agreements with UK and other partners:
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A long‑standing ambition to revive its indigenous engine program (after the Kaveri’s limited success) is now being pursued through foreign cooperation. The contenders include Rolls‑Royce (UK) and others, under the Jet Engine Advanced Core Technologies (JEACT) initiative GOV.UK+3Financial Times+3Wikipedia+3.
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Government statements confirm intent to co‑develop an engine (∼110 kN thrust) tailored for AMCA with DRDO and a foreign partner by the mid‑2030s Wikipedia+1Financial Times+1.
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India has already cleared ₹1.8 billion in funding to produce five AMCA engines as prototypes; mass induction is targeted around 2035. The UK’s Rolls‑Royce is a leading partner, with plans to transfer IP and engine manufacturing capability to India The Economic TimesWikipedia.
🚢 4. Maritime Propulsion: Warship Engines & IFEP
Maritime cooperation focuses on powering India’s new Landing Platform Dock (LPD) fleet and other next‑gen vessels:
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A Statement of Intent (SoI) between India and the UK signed in late 2024 commits to developing Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) systems for Indian warships. These systems draw inspiration from the Rolls‑Royce MT30 gas turbine, which powers Britain’s flagship carriers Business Standard+6GOV.UK+6thelondonweekly.net+6AeroDef India+9Business Standard+9thelondonweekly.net+9.
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Under the roadmap, GE Vernova and BHEL are collaborating to build India’s first maritime Land-Based Testing Facility targeting readiness by 2030, aligned with plans to induct LPDs by then aviationspaceindia.com+6AeroDef India+6thelondonweekly.net+6.
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Rolls‑Royce has also pledged to double its sourcing from Indian suppliers by 2030 across its defence and aerospace engine supply chain, reinforcing skill and capacity building Business Standard.
🎯 5. Strategic Impact & Roadmap Outcomes (2025–2035)
• Industrial self‑reliance
The pact directly supports India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat drive by enabling IP ownership, technology transfer, and deep integration into global defence supply chains via partnerships with Thales, MBDA, Rolls‑Royce, GE, and others AeroDef IndiaGOV.UK.
• Operational capability
By 2035, India aims to have operational fifth‑gen fighters (AMCA), advanced jet engines, next‑gen missile systems, and electric‑propelled naval platforms—all co‑developed under the India–UK alliance.
• Strategic diversification
This roadmap signals India’s intent to diversify defence cooperation beyond traditional suppliers like the U.S. and France—elevating ties with the UK across key domains of aerospace and maritime warfare tech The Times of IndiaGOV.UK.
• Economic and diplomatic value
UK‑India defence collaboration aligns with both nations’ economic agendas: creating jobs, boosting exports, and reinforcing the UK’s role as a trusted partner in India’s defence modernization plans AeroDef India+1thelondonweekly.net+1.
📆 Timeline Summary
| Period | Major Milestones |
|---|---|
| 2025 | DP‑I launched; agreements on missiles, engines, IFEP firmed at Aero India |
| 2026–2029 | Prototype jet engines, ASRAAM facility commissioning, Tejas Mk II roll‑out |
| By 2030 | Electric propulsion testing facility, launch of LPD with IFEP systems |
| 2035 | Mass production of AMCA with co‑developed jet engines; Vision 2035 roadmap complete |
✅ Final Thoughts
The India–UK defence pact represents a landmark evolution in strategic partnership. Through Vision 2035 and the DP‑I framework, the two democracies are co‑developing the next‑generation of defence capabilities—from missile systems to stealth aircraft and electric maritime propulsion.
These collaborations not only modernize India’s armed forces but also reinforce its long‑term defence industrial base, driving technology, manufacturing, and geopolitical self‑reliance. The next decade will be decisive: success would firmly establish India as a high‑tech defence power, and the UK as a credible partner in its rise.
