Saab India Stories
The future of warfare is being shaped not only by new weapons, but by how quickly defence systems can learn, adapt and evolve. For Saab, this shift has led to a rethink of how defence technology itself is developed. The company is exploring AI, autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing and new ways of working, with a clear focus on keeping innovation ahead of an increasingly complex and rapidly changing threat landscape.
For India, the drone threat is no longer a distant worry; it is real, persistent, and evolving. Reports of drone activity along the Line of Control and International Border have become routine, with sightings near Poonch and Samba as recently as January 2026. These aren’t isolated blips but part of a worrying pattern of probing and signalling. In 2025 alone, 791 drone intrusions were recorded across Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu.
In modern warfare, armoured vehicles, self-propelled artillery, air defence systems and infantry combat vehicles remain both indispensable and vulnerable. These platforms play a critical role in shaping operational outcomes, yet they face increasingly sophisticated anti-tank weapons capable of penetrating more than 1,200 millimetres of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA).
Navigating mine-infested waters has been one of the most challenging tasks for any naval fleet. Traditionally, mine reconnaissance relied on Mine Countermeasure (MCM) vessels equipped with hull-mounted or towed sonar systems, an approach that demands time, exposes vessels and crews to risk, and strains resources. But as naval threats get more complex, there's a clear shift toward smarter, unmanned systems capable of operating in challenging undersea conditions.
Recently, India hosted the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, one of the world's largest gatherings focused on artificial intelligence (AI). Billed as the first global AI summit to be held in the Global South, the event brought together participants from more than 110 countries and 30 international organisations.
Karlskoga is a quiet town in Örebro County, Sweden, home to just about 27,000 people. It was here that Alfred Nobel spent his final years, refining the invention that later changed the world. Karlskoga also happens to be the birthplace of the Carl-Gustaf multi-role weapon system and the headquarters of Saab’s Business Area Dynamics, where support weapons, missiles, and torpedoes are designed, assembled, and tested for customers around the globe. In this article, we will take a quick tour of the Björkborn production facility and meet some of the people that work there.
More than 90% of the world’s trade happens by sea, so any disruptions to the global flow can have serious consequences. Sea mines are inexpensive but low-tech weapons that can cause havoc with trade and communication, but Saab’s new MuMNS mine neutralisation system could be a breakthrough in countering mine warfare.
The Indian Armed Forces – the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force - are a new customer for AT4, a lightweight, man-portable, and disposable weapon known for its simplicity and effectiveness. The weapon system has been selected through a competitive programme.
Among the trends in modern warfare, one stands out – soldiers on the ground remain indispensable for holding and defending a country. Even with the increased reliance on drone-led missions, the majority of troops from military branches, including infantry, special forces and marines, continue to travel on foot while trying to gain tactical positions.
The Russia-Ukraine war has seen hundreds of thousands of drones being used. Yet, the war has also shown how quickly drones can lose significance. The Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, for example, which were instrumental in countering Russian forces early on, lost their effectiveness as air defence systems evolved. Rapid adaptability is crucial for an unmanned system for its optimum utilisation. So, it is not just about drones and unmanned vehicles but keeping them relevant and scalable and adapting them to mission modes.