India builds indigenous BVR missiles and cheap precision weapons

The Story in Brief

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is simultaneously advancing its beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile capability and building a family of affordable precision munitions. The Astra Mk-1, India’s first indigenous BVR missile, achieves Mach 4.5 with an engagement range of 80-110 km and is being integrated into Su-30MKI and Tejas Mk-1A fighters. Business Today notes that while the American AIM-120C AMRAAM has extensive combat kills over decades, Astra is still maturing through trials. Separately, the Times of India reports that DRDO plans to add a small turbine engine to the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW), a glide bomb with a current range of 100 km, to double its reach. The Gaurav glide bombs in 500 kg and 1,000 kg variants also offer a 100 km stand-off range, and the TARA guidance kit converts dumb bombs into precision weapons at 30 km. These efforts reduce dependence on expensive cruise missiles and foreign suppliers, giving the Indian Air Force scalable and cost-effective strike options.