India advances defense tech with new weapon contracts and missile tests

India is advancing its domestic defense capabilities through new procurement contracts and successful technology testing. The Ministry of Defence has signed an Rs 811 crore contract with state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to procure 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons for the Indian Air Force. These weapons utilize satellite positioning and inertial navigation to enhance precision-strike capabilities against airfield-related targets.

In a separate development, defense technology company IG Defence has successfully test-fired two solid rocket motors for its indigenous JWALA micro-missile program. The JWALA is a short-range, surface-to-air interceptor designed as a “hard-kill” counter-drone system. It aims to physically destroy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using a pre-fragmented high-explosive warhead and proximity fuze. The system is being developed alongside the AI-powered GRID battle-management architecture to integrate sensors, tracking, and weapon coordination.