Aero India, Bengaluru, India – February 11, 2025: Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics & Defense, France, announced today the signing of a partnership to create a joint venture for the manufacturing, customisation, sale and maintenance of HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) Smart Precision Guided Air-to-Ground Weapon in India.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by  K V Suresh Kumar, Director (Marketing), BEL, and  Alexandre Ziegler, Executive Vice President, Safran Electronics & Defense, in the presence of  Manoj Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, BEL, Franck Saudo, CEO, Safran Electronics & Defense and other senior executives of both companies.

“The proposed joint venture between BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense will be a major step toward strengthening India’s capabilities in defense manufacturing and achieving self-reliance in advanced weapon systems. It will localise HAMMER production, enable development of future variants and support the Government of India‘s Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative by reducing import dependence. The collaboration will facilitate technology transfer, create opportunities for Indian industries, especially SMEs and position India as a global hub for smart ammunitions production,” said Manoj Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, BEL.

“This joint venture partnership with BEL marks an important milestone for Safran Electronics & Defense. By creating this center of excellence combining the best of Safran with the best of BEL in smart precision guided munitions, we are supporting the Government’s Make in India programme, as well as strengthening both India’s sovereign defense capabilities and Safran’s industrial presence in India,” said Franck Saudo, CEO of Safran Electronics & Defense.

As part of this partnership, BEL and Safran Electronics & Defense also plan to establish a Center of Excellence aimed at enhancing India’s Defence capabilities. This center will bolster joint industrial activities in areas such as manufacturing, engineering, and associated services such as operational maintenance, repairs, and overhauls of optronics and navigation equipment for the Indian armed forces. Safran Electronics & Defense will bring its expertise by implementing a knowledge transfer programme. The transfer of production will happen in a phased manner with BEL leading final assembly, testing and quality assurance. This strategic collaboration, which is in sync with the Government of India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, will facilitate the creation of a state-of-the-art production facility in India, making the country a key hub for advanced smart munitions. It will reduce dependency on imports and strengthen India’s self-reliance and operational readiness in Defence.

HAMMER is a combat-proven, precision-guided weapon system known for its high accuracy and modular design, making it adaptable for multiple platforms, including the Rafale and LCA Tejas.