India to secure naval electric propulsion and lightweight missiles in new UK defence pacts

Gist India and the United Kingdom are poised to sign two major Inter-Governmental Agreements IGAs to significantly upgrade India's defence infrastructure and weaponry. The first pact will facilitate the development of Integrated Full Electric Propulsion IFEP systems for the Indian Navy's Landing Platform Docks, while the second will secure hundreds of British Lightweight Multirole Missiles LMMs for the Indian Army. For civil services aspirants, these deals are a critical study in how India leverages foreign partnerships for technology transfer, moving from traditional fossil-fuel maritime engines to advanced electric propulsion, and building indigenous capacity under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Background The Shift in Maritime Propulsion: Currently, Indian naval warships rely on conventional mechanical propulsion, utilizing diesel engines, gas turbines, or steam turbines to directly drive the ship's propellers via gears and shafts. How IFEP Works: An Integrated Full Electric Propulsion IFEP system replaces this mechanical link. It uses primary engines like gas turbines solely to generate electricity. This power grid then supplies electric motors that drive the propellers and meet the entire ship's electrical load. This eliminates heavy gearboxes, reduces noise…