Thales to Localize Production of 70 mm Rockets in India

India will establish assembly and partial local production of guided and unguided 70 mm rockets.

Thales announced this in a press release.

Thales and Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL) have signed a strategic alliance agreement under India’s Make in India program to establish advanced manufacturing capabilities for 70 mm rocket systems in the country.

Thales’ 70 mm rockets are already used by Indian HAL Rudra and HAL Prachand attack helicopters equipped with compatible launchers from the FZ family. In addition to engaging ground targets, the guided version of Thales’ 70 mm rockets can be used to engage drones.

As part of the cooperation, Thales will provide technological expertise in 70 mm rockets and launchers developed in Belgium.

KSSL, for its part, will use local manufacturing and testing facilities to produce and integrate components from Thales’ certified supply chain. The first fully assembled rocket made in India is planned for early 2027.

“Thales has partnered with India for decades and this collaboration with KSSL is a testament to our deep and long-standing engagement with the local defence ecosystem. By combining our combat-proven 70 mm rocket expertise from Belgium with KSSL’s engineering and manufacturing strengths, we are co-creating capabilities that will enhance India’s operational readiness and advance its vision of self-reliance in critical defence technologies,” said Ankur Kanaglekar, Thales’ vice president in India.

Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited and is responsible for the defense business of Kalyani Group, one of India’s leading engineering and technology industrial groups.

The company’s portfolio includes artillery systems, armored and protected vehicles, small arms, ammunition, naval systems and unmanned platforms.

This is not Thales’ first attempt to localize 70 mm rocket production in India.

In 2023, the company signed an agreement with state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited to establish manufacturing capabilities for the FZ275 rocket and integrate Indian components into Thales’ global supply chain.

In 2024, Thales signed another memorandum, this time with Adani Defence & Aerospace. The agreement covered the localization of production of both the guided FZ275 LGR and unguided FZ90 FFAR.