The deal carries some historical weight. India's effort to acquire the Javelin dates back years and had previously stalled over Washington's reluctance to transfer the missile's sensitive seeker technology. That impasse led India to instead adopt Israel's Spike anti-tank guided missile, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, back in 2014. This new MoU effectively revives the Javelin option for India, this time with an Indian company cast not just as a buyer but as a potential manufacturing partner.