US approves sale of Excalibur Projectiles, Javelin Missile System to India totalling over USD 90 mn
New York/Washington (PTI): The US has approved the sale of Excalibur Projectiles, Javelin Missile System and related equipment totalling over 90 million dollars to India, which Washington described as an “important force” for political stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions.
The US also said the sale will improve the security of a “major defence partner.”
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement Wednesday that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of Excalibur Projectiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 47.1 million and of Javelin Missile System and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 45.7 million.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress about the sales.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions,” the agency said.
The government of India has requested to buy up to 216 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles, it said. Non-MDE (major defence equipment) items that will also be included in the sale are ancillary items; Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems (PEFCS) with Improved Platform Integration Kit (iPIK); primers; propellant charges; US Government technical assistance; technical data; repair and return services; and other related elements of logistics and programme support, it added.
On the sale of Excalibur projectiles, the agency said, “The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing precision capability equipment, which will increase first strike accuracy in its brigades.”
The Indian government has requested to buy 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds; one Javelin FGM-148 missile, fly-to-buy; and 25 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) or Javelin Block 1 Command Launch Units (CLU), it said and listed a range of non-MDE items including missile simulation rounds; battery coolant unit; interactive electronic technical manual; and Javelin operator manuals apart from refurbishment services and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
“The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats,” it said.
For both the proposed sales, the agency added that India will have no difficulty “absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces” and also that the proposed sales of these equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor for the Excalibur Projectiles will be Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corporation. Stating that the US government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale at this time, the agency added that any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional US government or contractor representatives to India and there will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale, it said.
The principal contractors for the Javelin Missile System will be a RTX Corporation/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) of Orlando, Florida and Tucson, Arizona, the statement added.
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Allahabad HC orders FIR against Rahul Gandhi in dual citizenship case
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered an FIR be filed against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with an alleged dual citizenship controversy.
The bench permitted the state government to hand over the probe to any central probe agency after registration of the FIR.
The order was passed by a bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi on a petition filed by S Vignesh Shishir, who had challenged a January 28 order of a special MP/MLA court rejecting his plea for an FIR against Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The special court had earlier held that it was not competent to adjudicate on issues related to citizenship.
The petitioner, a BJP worker from Karnataka, had sought registration of an FIR and a detailed probe into the matter, levelling allegations against Gandhi under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act.
The complaint was initially filed before the special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. However, on the petitioner's request, the high court transferred the case to Lucknow on December 17, 2025.
The MP/MLA court in Lucknow subsequently dismissed the plea on January 28, 2026, prompting the petitioner to approach the high court, which has now ordered registration of an FIR.
In its order, the bench said that from a bare perusal of the allegations, prima facie cognizable offences were made out against Gandhi and hence the allegations required to be investigated.
The bench said that the special court should have looked into whether the allegations prima facie made out any cognizable offences or not, but it failed to consider it.
Earlier, Deputy Solicitor General of India SB Pandey produced the central government's records in the court relating to the citizenship controversy surrounding Gandhi.
Government counsel VK Singh also consented on behalf of the UP government that the allegations prima facie made out cognizable offences.
After having a detailed hearing, the bench found that the material on records showed that Gandhi had committed "cognizable offences" in having dual citizenship, and these allegations required to be probed.
The petitioner has alleged that Rahul is a UK Citizen and incorporated a company named M/S Backops Ltd in August 2003.
It was further submitted that Gandhi categorically admitted and voluntarily declared his nationality as British, having a Director Identification ID and London and Hampshire addresses.
In his petition, Shishir claimed that Rahul submitted the company's annual returns in October 2005 and October 2006, listing his nationality as British.
Thereafter, the company was dissolved through a dissolution application in February 2009.
According to the petitioner, the material placed before the court includes records suggesting that Rahul Gandhi may have been listed as a voter in the United Kingdom and participated in electoral processes there.
During the course of the hearing, the high court earlier directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to place all relevant records, including classified documents, before the court.
