- Why in news
- On September 23, 2026, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 810.79 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited for 160 SAT-SAAW glide bombs for the Indian Air Force.
- What it is
- SAT-SAAW is an air-to-ground precision guided glide bomb designed and developed by DRDO. It is meant to strike enemy airfields from a long stand-off range, so the launching aircraft stays outside the airfield's air defences. It is being made under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category.
- Contract
- MoD signed with BDL for 160 SAT-SAAW and associated equipment, total cost Rs 810.79 crore.
- Procurement category
- Bought under Buy (Indian-IDDM), meaning indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
- Type and platforms
- An air-to-ground precision guided glide bomb that can be launched from Jaguar, Hawk and Su-30 MKI, with long stand-off range against airfields.
- Developer and indigenous content
- Designed and developed by DRDO, with 60% indigenous content. Sub-systems being indigenised include the Initial Measurement Unit, Long Impact Delay Fuse and Twin Store Carrier.
- Manufacturer
- Bharat Dynamics Limited is a defence public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, which makes missiles.
Don’t confuse with Glide bomb vs missile: A glide bomb has no engine. It is released from an aircraft and glides to the target on wings and guidance. A missile has its own propulsion.
Don’t confuse with Buy (Indian-IDDM) vs Buy (Indian): IDDM requires the item to be indigenously designed, developed and manufactured. Plain Buy (Indian) needs only a minimum indigenous content and does not require indigenous design.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- Gives the IAF a stand-off weapon against enemy airfields, which cuts risk to its aircraft.
- Supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence by using a DRDO design and a public sector manufacturer.
Problems
- Indigenous content is 60%, so some sub-systems still depend on imports.
- Timely delivery and quality at production scale remain a test for DRDO-to-industry transfers.
Way forward
- Raise indigenous content further by localising the remaining critical sub-systems.
- Keep to delivery schedules and use IAF feedback for upgrades.
Put in your answer
Indigenous content: SAT-SAAW will have 60% indigenous content, with sub-systems like the Initial Measurement Unit and Long Impact Delay Fuse being indigenised.
Example of Buy (Indian-IDDM): The Rs 810.79 crore contract for 160 SAT-SAAW with BDL is a recent example of Buy (Indian-IDDM) procurement.
- 2021Mains GS3 · Q5Technical superiority of S-400 air defence system over other systems
- 2020Mains GS4 · Q8Indigenous development of anti-tank guided missiles under self-reliant India
- 2016Mains GS3 · Q17Strategic impact of hot pursuit and surgical strikes
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Defence hardware is 8 of 327 news-linked Prelims questions and almost never reaches Mains; a card for reading only.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.