India’s accelerated adoption of drones as a core component of its military strategy reflects a pivotal shift in national defence doctrine, underscored by recent conflict with Pakistan. In Operation Sindoor, Indian forces used a combination of indigenous and imported drones—including the Harop, SkyStriker, and ALS-50 models—to destroy nine militant camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
This cross-border drone deployment, prompted by a terror attack in Pahalgam, marked a turning point in the perceived importance of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for modern warfare in South Asia.
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Drones now serve as a cost-effective interim solution while India awaits the development and induction of its own fifth-generation fighter jets, notably the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which is not expected to see a prototype before 2028-29 and aims for full induction by 2034.
Compared to the multirole versatility and payload of sophisticated fighters, drones are more rapidly produced, significantly less expensive (ranging from 10 million to 100 million rupees compared to the AMCA’s 150 billion rupee cost), and versatile for surveillance, precision strikes, and swarming tactics, despite being vulnerable to electronic warfare such as jamming.
The recent India-Pakistan conflict also saw both sides deploying drones for the first time, with India successfully using its Russian-made S-400 air defence systems to neutralize Pakistani drone incursions. Subsequent to these engagements, Indian military leadership, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, has publicly emphasized the critical need to modernise weaponry and integrate cutting-edge technologies such as drones.
The strategic focus has shifted toward boosting indigenous drone production and deployment, not only to enhance military capabilities but also to catalyse a broader ecosystem of dual-use civilian and military drone technologies.
To support this transition, India has introduced regulatory reforms like the Drone Rules 2021 and launched the Drone Shakti Mission in 2022, which fosters innovation among start-ups and public-private partnerships in home-grown drone technology.
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India’s drone fleet now includes Israeli systems such as the Heron and Searcher, domestically developed platforms like the Nagastra-1, and an upcoming fleet of U.S.-made MQ-9B Predator drones, with deliveries expected between 2029 and 2030. TATA Advanced System has developed an array of UAVs one of them is a fully autonomous Vertical Take off and Landing (VTOL) UAV, named Rakshak.
Furthermore, India is pioneering swarm drone tactics—deploying masses of small drones to saturate and potentially overwhelm adversary air defences. For border security, the Border Security Force (BSF) is establishing its inaugural drone squadron for the Pakistan border, signalling the expanding role of unmanned systems in national security strategy.
Despite these advances, India’s drone industry remains heavily dependent on imported components; as much as 60-70% of critical parts like batteries, sensors, and flight controllers are sourced primarily from China, exposing vulnerabilities due to geopolitical tensions.
Addressing these issues requires not only the development of a more resilient indigenous supply chain and domestic testing facilities but also partnerships with countries such as Australia for sourcing rare earth materials critical to drone manufacturing.
Additional challenges include empowering and integrating MSMEs and start-ups into the defence sector, as many new ventures struggle to survive beyond five years due to systemic constraints.
India’s enthusiastic embrace of drones stems from key lessons learned during recent conflict, budgetary realities, and urgent security needs. While drones cannot yet replace the multirole power of next-generation fighter jets, their lower costs, adaptability, and fast development cycles have made them central to India’s evolving military strategy.
The continued push to indigenize and scale the drone ecosystem—supported by regulatory incentives, targeted investment, and international collaboration for component supply—is expected to fundamentally reshape India’s defence capabilities in the coming decade.
Based On SCMP Report
Agencies
