Thales, Bharat Forge arm KSSL sign pact to explore 70-mm rocket systems

Global defence major Thales and Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL), the wholly-owned defence subsidiary of Bharat Forge, have signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement to explore collaboration on unguided and laser-guided variants of Thales’ combat-proven 70-mm rocket systems, officials said on Thursday.

The 70-mm rocket systems are already in use with the Indian armed forces. The partnership comes amid Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s ongoing official visit to India.

Under the agreement, Thales will contribute its expertise in 2.75-inch/70-mm rockets and launchers developed in Belgium, while KSSL will use its local manufacturing and testing facilities to support production and integration of components from Thales’ qualified supply chain.


The companies said the collaboration aims to build indigenous capability for domestic requirements while also supporting international opportunities.

The partnership combines Thales’ rocket technologies and global market reach with KSSL’s capabilities in defence manufacturing, system integration and industrialisation, the companies said.

Thales said its 70-mm solutions are used by 70 armed forces across 55 countries and can be integrated across air, land and maritime platforms, including rotary-wing platforms such as the Advanced Light Helicopter and Light Combat Helicopter.

The company said advanced variants of its 70-mm rockets are increasingly suited to counter-drone missions amid the rise of asymmetric warfare, offering scalable capabilities against evolving aerial threats.

The collaboration also aims to strengthen sovereign defence capabilities through technology transfer, local value creation and skill development, the companies said. It is expected to support India’s ambitions under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India for the World’ initiatives while strengthening India-Belgium defence cooperation.

“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,” said Ankur Kanaglekar, vice president of Thales in India.

“By combining our combat-proven 70mm 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,” he added.

Neelesh Tungar, CEO of Kalyani Strategic Systems, said the partnership would lay the foundation for indigenous production of next-generation rocket systems by combining Thales’ technologies with KSSL’s industrial ecosystem, including its upcoming Energetics facility in Andhra Pradesh.

“Beyond strengthening the operational readiness of the Indian armed forces, it advances the vision of 'Make in India for the World,' positioning India as a globally competitive hub for advanced defence technologies,” Tungar said.

(With PTI inputs)