India K30 Biho Air Defence Deal: India’s plan to buy a new air defence system, called the Self-Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System, is now getting attention again after many years of delay. This project was stuck for a long time, but now things are slowly moving forward.
India is once again talking with South Korea about the K30 Biho system, also known as the “Flying Tiger.” Earlier, this system was already chosen in 2018 after it performed better than Russian options like Tunguska-M1 and Pantsir. The Indian Army is looking at buying around 104 of these systems. The total cost of the deal was earlier expected to be about $2.6 billion.
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Delay
Over the past few years, the government has been pushing for local solutions instead of buying from other countries. Because of this, there were ideas to build a similar system in India using local platforms like the Abhay Infantry Fighting Vehicle or the Zorawar light tank.
The plan was to combine Indian gun systems and missiles like VSHORADS developed by DRDO. But this idea is still not ready. It will take more years for testing and full development before it can be used by the Army. This delay has created a gap, because the Army needs a system right now to deal with new threats like drones, low-flying aircraft, and loitering weapons.
K30 Biho
Because of this urgent need, the K30 Biho is being considered again. It is already a tested system and can be used quickly. Now, talks are happening about building it in India itself. Indian company, Larsen & Toubro, may help in making these systems locally as well. The company already makes the K9 Vajra artillery system in Gujarat, so it has experience and facilities ready which can help reduce cost and save time, reported IDRW.
The Korean company Hanwha Aerospace, which makes the K30 Biho, has also given a plan. It says that up to 80% of the parts can be made in India by the time 50 units are built. This matches India’s goal of local production while still getting a working system quickly.
K30 Biho Air Defence: Modern Features and Strategic Benefits
The K30 Biho has some strong features that make it useful in today’s warfare. One key point is that it uses Electro-Optical systems instead of depending only on radar. This helps in situations where radar signals can be blocked or attacked.
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In recent conflicts, electronic warfare has become very important. Radar systems can be targeted easily, but EO systems allow the weapon to track targets quietly. This makes it better against drones and small aerial threats. The design of K30 Biho is similar to the K9 Vajra in some ways. This means the Army can use the same kind of training, spare parts, and support systems. It makes maintenance easier and improves readiness.
Possible Hybrid Plan
Russia is still trying to win this deal. It has offered upgraded versions like Pantsir-S1M and Tunguska-M1 with lower prices and promises of more technology sharing. Because of this, the decision process has been slow. India is thinking about a middle option. One idea is to create a “Hybrid-Biho” system. In this plan, the Korean vehicle can be used, but Indian radars and missiles will be added to it. This can help India meet both needs at the same time. The Army will get a ready system quickly, and the country will still follow its rule of using more local technology.
