India is working on a new lightweight air-to-ground missile designed specifically for future drone-based operations. The weapon is expected to have a weight of approximately 10–15 kilograms, a maximum length of around two meters and a warhead weighing up to two kilograms. These characteristics would allow the missile to be carried by UAVs that cannot accommodate larger conventional air-launched weapons. The missile’s navigation system combines an Inertial Navigation System with a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module, providing an architecture intended to maintain accuracy in environments where GPS signals may be unavailable or deliberately disrupted. The development forms part of India’s growing focus on integrating precision weapons with unmanned platforms. Lightweight air-to-ground missiles could expand the mission options available to smaller UAVs, allowing them to perform precision engagement missions without relying on larger combat aircraft. Their reduced weight could also enable compatible drones to carry multiple weapons simultaneously. The program highlights the increasing convergence of unmanned aviation, precision strike and resilient navigation technologies within India’s emerging defence ecosystem.
