Article Body
The Indian Army announced plans to procure 1,000 kamikaze drones and 1,000 surveillance drones at a cost of 10,000-15,000 crore rupees ($1.2-1.8 billion), following intense drone exchanges during the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.
The procurement, focused on indigenous development under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, aims to counter asymmetric threats along the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control, army officials said on Friday. The announcement came after Operation Sindoor, a four-day military operation triggered by a terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, that killed 25 tourists.
Operation Sindoor marked the first overt drone battle between India and Pakistan, with both sides deploying swarms of surveillance and loitering munitions, the officials said. India's use of SkyStriker kamikaze drones destroyed terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to a Defence Ministry statement.
The Army will prioritize systems like the Nagastra-1 loitering munition, developed by Solar Industries India Ltd in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the officials said. Trials of the Nagastra-1 conducted in Ladakh and Rajasthan in 2025 demonstrated its versatility in diverse terrains.
Army Chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi said in a statement, "Drones are force multipliers in hybrid warfare, particularly against asymmetric tactics. This procurement will enhance precision strikes without risking personnel."
The initiative seeks 70% local content by 2027, with suppliers including Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and private firms like IdeaForge, the officials said. It includes 450 units of the Nagastra-1R variant, ordered in September 2025 for 2.95 billion rupees.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the accelerated procurement in July 2025, allocating funds to boost domestic manufacturing, a ministry statement said. The order builds on a $470 million investment in unmanned aerial vehicles planned over the next 12 to 24 months, according to Smit Shah, president of the Drone Federation of India.
The Army expects deliveries to begin in early 2026, with full integration into operational units by 2027, the officials said. Officials from the Defence Ministry declined to provide further details on the evaluation process.
Comments