Thales-Kalyani Strategic Systems Partnership to Produce 70 mm Rockets in India

Thales, a Belgian defence firm, and Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd. (KSSL) have signed an agreement to develop and locally produce 2.75-inch (70 mm) unguided and laser-guided rockets and launchers in India. The deal calls for Thales to supply its rocket technology and qualified supply-chain components, while KSSL will use its manufacturing and testing facilities to assemble the rockets and build a domestic supply network. The collaboration is framed as a technology-transfer initiative aimed at establishing India as a hub for advanced rocket systems, with the first fully assembled rocket slated for early 2027.

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The partnership builds on a decades-long relationship between Thales and the Indian defence sector. By integrating Thales’ proven rocket designs with KSSL’s industrial ecosystem—including a forthcoming Energetics facility in Andhra Pradesh—the alliance seeks to create a sovereign capability for both domestic use and export.

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Thales highlighted its long-standing engagement with India’s defence ecosystem, emphasizing the strategic value of the collaboration for local value creation and skill development. KSSL’s chief executive underscored that combining Thales’ technologies with KSSL’s facilities will lay the groundwork for next-generation rocket production, reinforcing India’s operational readiness and export potential. Both companies presented the partnership as a step toward a robust, export-oriented supply chain for advanced rocket systems.

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• “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,” — Ankur Kanaglekar, vice-president – India, Thales

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• “By combining Thales’ proven technologies with Kalyani Strategic Systems’ advanced industrial ecosystem including our upcoming Energetics facility in Andhra Pradesh, this strategic partnership lays the foundation for indigenous production of next-generation rocket systems,” — Neelesh Tungar, CEO, Kalyani Strategic Systems

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The agreement is expected to strengthen the Indian Armed Forces’ capability to counter emerging aerial threats, particularly drones, by providing reliable 70 mm rockets suited for asymmetric warfare. By establishing a domestic production line, the partnership aims to create a strategic manufacturing hub that could serve both Indian and international customers, thereby enhancing India’s role in the global defence supply chain. The early-2027 target for the first fully assembled rocket marks a key milestone in the timeline for achieving indigenous production and export readiness.

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