Indian Army to get kamikaze drones worth ₹1,577 crore amid push to be ‘global hub’

The Indian defence ministry has awarded two contracts totaling ₹1,577 crore to Tata Advanced Systems Ltd and Nibe Pvt Ltd for the procurement of loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones. These advanced drones are designed to enhance the precision strike capabilities of the Indian Army's artillery regiments and bolster the overall operational effectiveness of the military.

The ministry explained that loitering munition systems are critical equipment that can significantly improve the Indian Army's capabilities and keep pace with the evolving nature of modern warfare, as evidenced by ongoing global conflicts such as the Iran-Israel war.

This announcement follows the army's plan to acquire tens of thousands of locally-manufactured unmanned aerial systems and loitering munitions over the next five years. The initiative aligns with the 'Buy Indian' scheme and is intended to strengthen India's vision of self-reliance in defence. The requirement spans 80 different types of unmanned systems, including those for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, precision strikes, munition dropping, air defence, jamming, mine warfare, data relay, and logistics, as outlined in a Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Aerial Systems and Loitering Munitions released in April.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had previously expressed India's ambition to become a global hub for drone manufacturing by 2030. The drones procured by the army will be utilized for surveillance, including high altitude long endurance, medium altitude long endurance, high altitude pseudo satellites, and unmanned air littoral systems, for long, medium, and short-range surveillance.

Additionally, the army seeks loitering munitions for striking at various ranges, drone swarms for both surveillance and strike purposes, and first-person view drones with strike capabilities. The army also plans to deploy special unmanned systems, such as hunter-killer configured UALs and systems equipped with guided or unguided bombs, as part of its broader strategy to bolster its battlefield capabilities.