New Delhi: India and France are set to deepen their defense cooperation with a proposed agreement to manufacture the HAMMER air-to-ground precision missile in India. The deal is expected to be formalized during the upcoming official visit of Emmanuel Macron, who is scheduled to travel to India for a high-level bilateral summit.
Under the agreement, India’s state-owned defense firm Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will partner with French aerospace and defense company Safran through a joint venture. The collaboration aims to manufacture key components of the HAMMER weapon system domestically, significantly boosting India’s “Make in India” defense initiative.
A Key Weapon for Rafale Fighter Jets
The HAMMER missile—formally known as Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (AASM)—is a precision-guided air-to-surface weapon currently deployed on the Rafale fighter aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force. Until now, the missile systems have been imported from France.
With India also in advanced discussions to procure 114 additional Rafale jets, local manufacturing of HAMMER missiles is expected to improve supply timelines, reduce costs, and strengthen operational readiness.
Why HAMMER Is Called the “Bunker Killer”
The HAMMER missile is widely regarded as one of the most lethal precision weapons in modern aerial warfare. Designed to destroy hardened targets such as enemy bunkers, fortified positions, and infrastructure, it can strike with extreme accuracy from distances of 60 to 70 kilometers.
Equipped with advanced guidance systems, the missile follows a “fire-and-forget” principle, requiring no further guidance after launch. It can engage both stationary and moving targets, day or night, and in all weather conditions. Its high accuracy makes the probability of a miss extremely low.
A single Rafale fighter jet can carry up to six HAMMER missiles simultaneously, allowing it to strike multiple targets in one mission.
Manufacturing and Technology Transfer
According to officials familiar with the development, the BEL-Safran joint venture will establish a Center of Excellence in India. This facility will focus on the manufacturing, supply, maintenance, and repair of HAMMER guidance kits, while also enabling long-term technology collaboration between the two countries.
Originally unveiled at the Paris Air Show in 2007 under the name AASM, the weapon system was rebranded as HAMMER in 2011. Its induction into Indian manufacturing marks a major step toward defense self-reliance and closer strategic ties between India and France.