The Indian Army’s long-pending acquisition of a modern Self-Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System (SPAD-GMS) has regained significant momentum, reopening one of the country’s most strategically important ground-based air defence programmes after years of delays and shifting procurement priorities.
The revival comes amid growing operational concerns over the rapid proliferation of drones, loitering munitions, and low-flying aerial threats along India’s northern and western frontiers. As the battlefield evolves toward highly mobile and technology-intensive warfare, the Indian Army is seeking a tracked air defence solution capable of protecting mechanized formations during high-speed combat operations.
At the center of the renewed competition is South Korean defence manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace, which has aggressively positioned its upgraded K-30 SAM Biho and next-generation Biho-II systems as the leading candidates for the multi-billion-dollar contract.
The SPAD-GMS procurement had previously encountered repeated procedural delays, changing operational requirements, and policy debates linked to the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which emphasizes domestic manufacturing and indigenous defence capability development. For a period, the programme appeared to shift toward fully indigenous solutions. However, mounting operational urgency has now accelerated efforts to procure a combat-ready platform with proven battlefield performance while still maintaining high domestic industrial participation.
Hanwha’s proposal appears well aligned with those objectives.
The baseline K-30 Biho platform is already operational with the Republic of Korea Army and has built a reputation as a reliable short-range mobile air defence system. The vehicle combines twin 30mm automatic cannons with integrated short-range surface-to-air missiles, enabling it to engage helicopters, cruise missiles, drones, and low-flying aircraft.
The system also incorporates electro-optical targeting and fire control systems that allow autonomous target tracking and engagement under various battlefield conditions. Its hybrid gun-and-missile configuration gives it the flexibility to defeat both fast-moving aerial targets and slower, small-profile threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles.
The newer Biho-II variant represents a substantial evolution of the original platform and has been specifically refined to address emerging battlefield realities dominated by drone warfare and distributed aerial threats.
The upgraded version reportedly integrates improved target acquisition radars and sensors, enhanced combat networking capability, upgraded mobility characteristics, and advanced counter-UAV features. Hanwha has repeatedly adjusted the system’s configuration during international defence exhibitions to optimize the balance between mobility, survivability, firepower, and rapid deployment capability.
Military analysts note that this mobility component is particularly critical for the Indian Army, which requires air defence systems capable of operating alongside armored and mechanized formations across difficult terrain ranging from deserts to mountainous border sectors.
Unlike static air defence systems, tracked SPAD-GMS platforms are designed to provide continuous protection to advancing armored columns during offensive and defensive maneuvers. Such systems must detect and neutralize threats while moving, often in contested environments where reaction times are extremely limited.
The Indian Army’s requirement has become increasingly urgent due to the changing nature of regional threats. Recent global conflicts have demonstrated how inexpensive drones and loitering munitions can inflict disproportionate damage on armored formations, logistics hubs, and frontline troop concentrations.
Military planners in New Delhi are particularly focused on countering low-altitude aerial incursions and swarm-style drone attacks that conventional air defence systems may struggle to intercept efficiently.
The Biho-II’s combined rapid-fire cannons and guided missile interceptors are viewed as well suited for these conditions. The cannons can provide high-volume close-range suppression against drones and helicopters, while the missile component extends engagement range against more maneuverable or higher-speed targets.
The South Korean system had already generated considerable interest within Indian defence circles during earlier field trials conducted by the Ministry of Defence.
During those evaluations, the Biho reportedly performed strongly against Russian competitors such as the Pantsir-S1 and the Tunguska-M1.
According to independent assessments and defence industry reporting at the time, the Biho demonstrated superior accuracy against low-flying targets and achieved higher mechanical reliability during testing phases. It was also considered competitively priced relative to rival systems.
Equally important for Indian procurement planners were concerns surrounding long-term sustainment and delivery timelines. Russian proposals reportedly encountered complications linked to offset obligations, projected lifecycle maintenance costs, and delivery uncertainties, factors that strengthened Hanwha’s standing during preliminary technical evaluations.
The company’s previous success in India through the K9 Vajra-T artillery programme has further reinforced confidence in its industrial partnership model.
For the K9 Vajra-T project, Hanwha partnered with Indian engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro to locally manufacture the 155mm tracked self-propelled artillery system at L&T’s armored systems facility in Hazira, Gujarat.
That programme became one of India’s most visible examples of successful defence localization under the government’s indigenous manufacturing push. Over time, the K9 Vajra-T reportedly achieved indigenisation levels ranging from more than 50 percent to nearly 80 percent through the integration of locally sourced components and manufacturing processes.
Hanwha now intends to replicate that industrial structure for the SPAD-GMS programme.
The company is expected to propose substantial technology transfer arrangements and local assembly operations in partnership with Indian industry. Under current procurement guidelines, local industrial participation is expected to progressively rise to approximately 80 percent during the production cycle.
Such a structure is strategically important for New Delhi, which increasingly seeks to reduce dependence on imported military systems while simultaneously strengthening domestic defence manufacturing capacity.
The scale of the procurement further underscores its importance.
Current estimates indicate that the Indian Army may acquire around 104 tracked SPAD-GMS units under a programme valued between $2.5 billion and $2.6 billion. The acquisition would represent one of India’s most significant short-range mobile air defence procurements in recent years.
The systems are expected to be deployed with mechanized infantry and armored formations operating across sensitive frontier regions. Particular emphasis is likely to be placed on sectors vulnerable to drone incursions and rapid aerial attacks.
However, despite Hanwha’s apparent advantage, the competition remains politically and strategically sensitive because parallel indigenous initiatives are still under active consideration.
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is simultaneously pursuing development of a domestic Self-Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System known as the ADGM-SP.
The indigenous concept would reportedly be mounted on the chassis of the newly developed Zorawar Light Tank, a lightweight armored platform intended for deployment in high-altitude regions such as Ladakh.
DRDO’s proposed system is expected to combine twin 30mm cannons with indigenous Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORADS), creating a compact and highly mobile hybrid platform tailored for mountainous terrain and high-altitude operations.
This indigenous pathway reflects India’s long-term ambition to establish a fully domestic layered air defence ecosystem. Nevertheless, defence analysts believe the locally developed system may still require additional maturation and testing before it can satisfy immediate operational requirements.
As a result, the Indian Army appears to be balancing two parallel objectives: securing an immediately deployable and combat-proven system while simultaneously nurturing indigenous technological capability for future programmes.
In that context, Hanwha’s Biho-II occupies a strategically favorable position. The platform combines demonstrated operational performance, compatibility with India’s localization goals, and prior industrial cooperation experience through the K9 Vajra-T project.
The coming phases of the SPAD-GMS programme are expected to focus on commercial negotiations, technology transfer structures, industrial participation details, and potential field validation updates. Defence observers anticipate that procurement momentum will continue due to the increasing urgency surrounding mobile counter-drone and short-range air defence requirements.
For the Indian Army, the stakes are substantial. Modern conflicts have repeatedly shown that armored forces without adequate mobile air defence protection remain highly vulnerable to low-cost aerial threats. The SPAD-GMS programme is therefore no longer viewed as a routine modernization effort, but as a critical capability requirement directly linked to battlefield survivability in future high-intensity conflicts.
