IAF successfully conducts trial of Indigenous Long-Range Glide Bomb Khagantak-243
The Indian Air Force successfully conducted a release/drop trial of the indigenously developed Khagantak-243, a long-range glide bomb, on 2 September 2026.
The weapon has been developed by JSR Dynamics, an Indian private defence manufacturer, positioning it as an industry-led (rather than solely DRDO-led) indigenous precision munition programme.
The trial met its stated objectives, described as a development milestone rather than confirmation of operational induction; further testing and evaluation are expected before the platform enters service.
The programme is intended to boost India's indigenous capability in long-range, air-launched precision-guided munitions.
Glide Bombs and Stand-off Precision Weapons
A glide bomb is an air-launched precision-guided munition that, unlike a conventional unguided ("dumb") gravity bomb, uses aerodynamic wings/fins and a guidance kit to glide toward a designated target after release, rather than following a simple ballistic drop trajectory. This gives the launching aircraft "stand-off" capability — the ability to strike a target from well outside the range of the target's short-range air defences, improving aircrew survivability.
Key Details
- Glide bombs achieve extended range purely from altitude, speed, and aerodynamic glide, without an onboard rocket motor (which distinguishes them from powered stand-off missiles).
- India's other indigenous long-range glide bomb programmes include "Gaurav" (developed by DRDO, a 1,000 kg-class glide bomb, with a release trial from a Su-30 MKI conducted in April 2025) and the smaller "SAAW" (Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon, also DRDO-developed).
- Khagantak-243 differs from Gaurav in being developed by a private defence company (JSR Dynamics) rather than DRDO, reflecting growing private-sector participation in India's precision-munition ecosystem.
The Khagantak-243 trial adds a privately-developed platform to India's indigenous glide bomb inventory alongside the DRDO-developed Gaurav, expanding the range of stand-off precision options available to the IAF's fighter fleet.
Make in India in Defence Manufacturing — Procurement Categories
India's defence procurement is governed by the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), which since 2020 has prioritised indigenous content through categories such as "Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)" [Buy (IDDM)], "Buy (Indian)," "Buy and Make (Indian)," and "Make" (Make-I government-funded, Make-II industry-funded prototype development). These categories set minimum Indigenous Content (IC) thresholds and determine how much of a system's design and manufacture must occur domestically. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the Raksha Mantri, is the apex body that accords Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for such procurements.
Key Details
- Buy (IDDM) is the top-priority category under DAP 2020, requiring the highest indigenous content and Indian intellectual property ownership.
- The "Make" category (particularly Make-II) allows private Indian companies to self-fund development of prototypes for eventual military procurement — the pathway typically used by companies like JSR Dynamics for platforms such as Khagantak-243.
- iDEX (Innovation for Defence Excellence) and the Defence Acquisition Council support such indigenous private-sector weapon development initiatives.
A privately-developed platform like Khagantak-243 reaching a successful IAF trial illustrates the "Make" category and private-sector defence manufacturing route working alongside DRDO's traditional government-led development model, both feeding into the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) push in defence.
- Khagantak-243 trial (drop/release test) conducted by the IAF: 2 September 2026.
- Developer: JSR Dynamics, an Indian private defence company (not DRDO).
- Comparable DRDO indigenous glide bomb: "Gaurav" (1,000 kg-class), release-trial tested from a Su-30 MKI in April 2025.
- Glide bombs achieve stand-off range via aerodynamic glide (no rocket motor), distinguishing them from powered cruise/stand-off missiles.
- The trial is described as a development milestone; further testing/evaluation is required before operational induction.