Bharat Electronics Limited and French aerospace and defence major Safran Electronics & Defence have signed a joint venture agreement to manufacture the HAMMER precision-guided weapon system in India.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday, 17 January, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently on a visit to India.
In a regulatory filing, BEL informed that the company’s Board of Directors approved the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement on 15 February 2026.
The operationalisation of the venture will be subject to regulatory and administrative approvals from both countries.
Under the agreement, the two companies will incorporate a private limited company under the Companies Act, 2013.
The registered office and principal place of business will be located in Pune or any other mutually agreed location.
The proposed entity will operate a ‘Center of Excellence’ and act as a technology and teaming partner for the manufacturing, supply, maintenance and repair of the Guidance Kit of the HAMMER weapon system.
The primary end users are expected to be the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, although other Indian end users may be included based on mutual agreement.
The equity structure of the joint venture will be split equally, with a 50:50 shareholding between Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics & Defence.
The Board will consist of four directors, two nominated by each partner, while the Chairman will be appointed by the nominees without a casting vote.
The company will be incorporated with an initial authorised share capital of ₹1,00,000, comprising 1,000 equity shares of ₹100 each.
This may be increased up to ₹10,00,00,000 or another amount depending on operational requirements.
HAMMER, an acronym for Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range, is a French-developed, all-weather precision-guided air-to-ground weapon system.
Also known as Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM), it is designed as a modular kit that can be fitted onto standard bomb bodies, enabling high-accuracy strikes at stand-off ranges.
The system supports multiple guidance modes, including INS/GPS, infrared and laser guidance, allowing operational flexibility across varied combat conditions.
The joint venture reflects a broader push toward strengthening domestic defence manufacturing capabilities while enabling technology collaboration between India and France.
