By Ninad Sheth
New Delhi. Like specters haunting the battlefield, drones have transformed modern warfare. These silent, loitering machines strike without warning and observe without fatigue.
For India, the evolution of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been a gradual ascent, beginning with the acquisition of Israel’s Searcher Mark 1 back in 1988. Now, with the induction of the advanced Predator MQ-9B drones, the Indian Air Force (IAF), Nay and Army appear poised to take a quantum leap. Yet, the journey from surveillance pioneers to an autonomous drone powerhouse is riddled with challenges, not least the need for a critical mass of indigenous capability.
India’s drone story began in earnest over two decades ago. The Israeli Searcher Mark 1, a tactical UAV designed for reconnaissance, gave India its first taste of unmanned warfare. Over time, Israel’s Heron and Harop drones elevated India’s capabilities. The Heron’s ability to operate at high altitudes and the Harop’s kamikaze-like loitering munition design proved valuable for reconnaissance and precision strikes in the Himalayan theatre.
IAF now boasts substantial experience in operating drones across diverse terrains, from Ladakh’s rugged heights to the volatile Line of Control. Yet, these systems, while reliable, belong to an earlier generation of UAV technology.
General Atomics MQ 9B
The arrival of the Predator MQ-9B signals a paradigm shift.
Capable of staying airborne for over 40 hours or more, this hunter-killer drone can surveil vast areas, relay real-time intelligence, and launch precision strikes with its payload of Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs.
Its advanced sensors, synthetic aperture radar, and maritime surveillance capabilities make it invaluable in both land and sea operations.
For a military seeking to monitor its western and northern borders with Pakistan and Chiina, and the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, the Predator offers unmatched versatility.
However, its combat track record is less flawless than its sleek exterior suggests. In Yemen, a battlefield teeming with asymmetric threats, two MQ-9s have been shot down, underscoring the vulnerability of even the most advanced drones in contested airspaces.
This mixed record of drones raises an uncomfortable question: is India prepared for the drone warfare of the future? The answer, as of now, is a qualified no.
While the Predator MQ-9B adds muscle to the IAF, India’s domestic drone ecosystem remains underdeveloped. Also, if Houthis, with Iran-supplied missiles, can shoot down even such high flying unmanned airceraft, then what should an operator do!
IAF sources told India Strategic that the possible threats are very much on their weighing scale, and how best to ensure safety of these precious assets will have to be worked out in consultatiion with the manufacture and the US Government, which is its largest operator.
Indigenous UAVs
Indigenous UAVs have made progress, and the private sector still leans heavily on foreign components. Engines from Austria, batteries from China, and sensors from Israel populate the supply chains of Indian-made drones.
This dependency on external suppliers is a strategic liability, especially when relations with key suppliers like China are fraught.
The Indian Government has taken an appreciable decision recently to encouratge the private sector and start-ups proactively. In fact, defence Minister Rajnath Singh said recently that there is enough pool of talent in youngster, but they didn’t know how to go about for funding and associated research. It is the Ministry of Defence which will seek them out and do the hand-holding.
For India to truly mature in the drone age, it must build an autonomous supply chain and scale up production.
That requires money—lots of it. Despite recent allocations, India’s defense budget devotes too little to research and development in UAV technology. This shortsightedness stymies innovation and leaves the military reliant on imports.
Developing indigenous engines, long-endurance batteries, and advanced sensors should be a national priority. In particular India needs development of cheap dispensable drones that can be used in Networked swarms.
This is the future of warfare, albeit frontline aircraft powered by quick thinkg pilots, with authority to override AI, are going to be there for some time.
One way out is bigger orders for India made private drones with with scalable improvements in propulsion and sensors.
The Aero India 2025 show will be interesting from that aspect, especially of the technologies and the private players will display.
