The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) decision to procure SPICE‑1000 long‑range precision guidance kits from Israel has reignited a long‑running debate within India’s defence community over cost, capability and the pace of indigenous weapons development. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in a recent approval announced by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), cleared the purchase, stating that the SPICE‑1000 “will enhance the long‑range precision strike capability of the Indian Air Force.”
The approval comes at a time when India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has already developed and tested its own family of glide bomb kits, raising questions over why the IAF continues to rely on imported solutions that are widely regarded as expensive.
The SPICE‑1000 (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost‑Effective) is a glide‑cum‑navigation kit that converts a conventional 1,000‑lb general‑purpose penetrator bomb into a long‑range precision‑guided munition (PGM). In concept, it is similar to the UMPK guidance kits that Russian forces have used extensively in Ukraine, where unguided bombs have been transformed into standoff glide weapons.
Technically, however, the SPICE‑1000 occupies a far more sophisticated tier. The kit features a mid‑body fold‑out wing assembly and a rear cruciform tail fin set that enables long‑range gliding. Navigation is provided by an inertial navigation system (INS) combined with satellite navigation (SATNAV) for mid‑course guidance, while terminal homing is achieved through an electro‑optical/infrared (EO/IR) seeker.
The IAF already has operational experience with the SPICE family. SPICE‑2000 kits and SPICE‑250 bombs were used during the 2019 Balakot airstrikes against terrorist camps, establishing a degree of confidence in the system’s combat performance. All three variants incorporate an Automatic Target Acquisition (ATA) capability, an autonomous scene‑matching technology designed to overcome GPS jamming, navigation drift and target coordinate inaccuracies when attacking fixed targets.
As the weapon approaches the target, its onboard computer compares real‑time EO imagery from the seeker with reference images stored before launch. Once a match is confirmed, the weapon autonomously homes in, achieving a circular error probable (CEP) of less than three metres in day, night and adverse weather conditions. A two‑way data‑link allows the pilot or weapon systems officer to view the seeker image in the cockpit and manually guide the bomb if required.
Depending on release altitude and mission profile, the SPICE‑1000 can strike targets at ranges of up to 125 km. Up to 100 mission profiles can be pre‑programmed, including target coordinates, impact angles, approach azimuths, terrain data and target imagery, giving planners significant flexibility in shaping the attack geometry.
Yet this capability comes at a steep price. A single SPICE‑1000 kit is estimated to cost around $480,000, making it unsuitable for mass employment. Unlike Russian UMPK kits, which have been used in large numbers to strike infrastructure targets, the IAF cannot afford to use SPICE‑1000s liberally.
This is where India’s indigenous alternative enters the picture. In 2013, DRDO initiated a programme to develop glide bomb kits for multiple weight classes. Since then, it has produced indigenous glide kits and warheads for 250 kg, 500 kg and 1,000 kg bombs.
The most prominent of these is the Gaurav Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB), developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad for the DRDO‑designed 1,000 kg High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) bomb. Gaurav uses INS and SATNAV for navigation and can be fitted with a semi‑active laser homing (SALH) seeker, requiring the target to be illuminated by a laser designator, typically carried by a high‑altitude drone.
Adani Defence and Bharat Forge are partners in the development and production of the system. Gaurav has undergone a series of successful trials, including a maiden flight test from an IAF Su‑30MKI in August 2024 and subsequent release trials in April 2025. The weapon is reported to have a range of 30–150 km, depending on release altitude, with trials demonstrating a maximum range of around 100 km.
While Gaurav can achieve pinpoint accuracy when laser illumination is available, its limitations are clear. Unlike SPICE‑1000, it lacks an EO seeker and stored target imagery, restricting its ability to select attack geometry or approach direction autonomously. Its reliance on laser designation also exposes loitering drones to enemy air defences and makes the weapon vulnerable to cloud cover, smoke or dust.
Operationally, this makes Gaurav less versatile than SPICE‑1000. However, its significantly lower cost makes it suitable for large‑scale use, particularly against fixed infrastructure targets where near‑pinpoint accuracy is not critical.
Analysts increasingly argue that the IAF’s optimal approach lies in a mixed inventory. SPICE‑1000 kits, procured in limited numbers, would be reserved for high‑value, heavily defended targets requiring extreme accuracy and flexibility. Indigenous Gaurav‑1000 kits, produced in larger quantities, could provide a cost‑effective standoff strike capability for broader operational scenarios.
Russian experience with UMPK kits — which rely solely on INS and SATNAV yet have achieved acceptable accuracy against bridges and buildings — suggests that such weapons need not be technologically extravagant to be militarily effective. DRDO is expected to further upgrade Gaurav with EO seekers and advanced mission‑profiling features, potentially narrowing the capability gap.
The DAC’s approval of SPICE‑1000 underscores the IAF’s prioritisation of proven, high‑end capability, even as indigenous systems continue their gradual march toward parity.
