Arms firm's 700 jobs boost proof Northern Ireland should welcome rising defence spending, say DUP after Thales Belfast wins £350m India missile deal

That’s according to DUP MLA Philip Brett, speaking after the Prime Minister announced a £350m contract to supply India with air defences missile made in Belfast.

Arising from a two-day trade mission led by Sir Kier Starmer, the deal is said to "secure over 700 jobs” in Northern Ireland.

It involves arms manufacturing giant Thales, which has a factory in Belfast’s Castlereagh Industrial Estate as well as a testing range in Co Down – and earlier this year, the business revealed plans to open a third facility in Northern Ireland.

The air defence missiles are the same type already being made by Thales in Belfast, as a result of a deal the British government cut in March to supply them to Ukraine.

The jobs boost was warmly welcomed by DUP economy spokesman, and chair of the assembly’s economy committee, Phillip Brett.

He said: “The aerospace and defence industries not only support thousands of high-value jobs and drive exports, but they represent significant opportunities for expansion and further economic growth.

“The contract announced with India further demonstrates how Northern Ireland benefits from an increase in defence spending, whether that is domestically to meet Nato targets or internationally in places such as Ukraine and now India.”

The Ukraine deal announced with Thales back in March drew criticism from Sinn Fein, with first minister Michelle O’Neill saying she was “incredulous” the Belfast factory was picked for the contract, despite the benefits it was bringing to the province’s jobs market.

Referring to that incident, Mr Brett was keen to boost the defence firm as another international contract went its way.

“Whilst some have nothing more to offer than talking down Northern Ireland and important sectors of our economy, the DUP will champion companies like Thales,” he said.

“They are driving innovation and economic growth here and doing so in spite of, and not because of, the words and actions of some political leaders.”

Announced during Sir Keir’s two-day trade mission to Mumbai, the new contract is hailed as an important step in a growing defence partnership between the two countries.

For defence secretary John Healey, the deal shows how the partnership “will boost UK business and jobs”.

He said: “I am hopeful that this will pave the way for a deeper relationship between our two defence industries, particularly in the development of electric engines for naval ships and in air defence.

“As we deepen our defence relationship with India, we will harness the UK defence industry as an engine for growth, securing vital jobs in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.”

French-owned multinational contractor Thales is one of Belfast’s least heralded success stories, but it’s been in town for more than 30 years already. It can trace its roots in the province to the famous Short Brothers aerospace company, which established a missile division in 1952.

Shorts was bought by Bombardier in 1989. Four years later, it partnered with French company Thomson-CSF to from Shorts Missile Systems.

The French firm became the missile company’s sole owner in 1998, and in 2000 rebranded as Thales.

Pronounced ‘Tal-es’, the name’s derived from 6th century BC philosopher Thales of Miletus – regarded as the first true philosopher of the Ancient Greek tradition.