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Defence Acquisition Council Approves Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft
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Balance of power is shifting from platform superiority to system scalability
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Indian ecosystem includes Startups; Manufacturing firms building components and subsystems; and Defence public sector units supporting large-scale programmes
By R Chandrakanth
Bengaluru. On March 27, 2026, India took a decisive step toward the future of warfare. The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for a sweeping set of military procurements worth approximately USD 25 billion (₹2.38 lakh crore).
Among them was a critical approval for Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft (RPSA), a move that brings India significantly closer to operationalising its first indigenous stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle: the Ghatak. This is more than a procurement milestone. It is a signal that India is aligning itself with a seismic shift in global warfare, one where unmanned systems are no longer peripheral assets, but central to combat strategy.At the heart of this transformation lies the Ghatak unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV).
According to a media report, Indian Air Force’s (IAF) plan to acquire unmanned stealth fighters is set to open a USD 420 million (Rs 39,000 crore) opportunity for domestic industry. The Ministry of Defence (MoD( has approved a collaboration model involving private sector partners.Under the RPSA programme, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will adopt a development-cum-production partner (DCPP) model, beginning with inviting bids from industry to build six prototypes at an estimated cost of USD 107 million (Rs. 10,000 crores).
Deep-strike Combat Platforms
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ghatak represents India’s most ambitious unmanned combat aviation programme to date. Designed as a stealth-capable, flying-wing aircraft, it marks a transition from remotely piloted drones to autonomous, deep-strike combat platforms.Unlike conventional UAVs used primarily for surveillance or limited strike roles, Ghatak is engineered to operate in heavily defended airspace. Its flying-wing design minimises radar cross-section, while internal weapon bays allow it to carry precision-guided munitions without compromising stealth.
Technically, the platform reflects a careful balance between endurance, survivability, and strike capability. The aircraft is expected to weigh around 13 tonnes, with a wingspan of approximately 18 metres and a length of about 14 metres. Powered by a dry variant of the Kaveri engine, producing roughly 49 kN of thrust, it is designed for subsonic operations with a combat range suited to deep-penetration missions. With an internal fuel capacity of about 3.7 tonnes and a projected endurance of nearly two hours, Ghatak is optimised for sustained operations in contested environments.
Ghatak is being developed primarily as a strike platform, capable of penetrating enemy airspace undetected; destroying high-value targets such as radar installations and missile systems; conducting suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) missions; and Delivering precision strikes on strategic infrastructure. In future scenarios, it could also operate in conjunction with manned aircraft, acting as a force multiplier in coordinated air operations.
As Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh,the Chief of Air Staff,has indicated in the IAF’s “Vision 2047” roadmap, unmanned systems are not expected to replace fighter jets entirely. However, platforms like Ghatak will fundamentally reshape how those fighters are used, reducing pilot risk while expanding operational reach.
Attritable Unmanned Systems
The emergence of RPSA must be understood in the context of a larger transformation: the move from high-value, manned platforms to attritable, unmanned systems, that is low-cost, reusable, or semi-expendable systems. For decades, air power was defined by expensive fighter aircraft designed for survivability and technological superiority. Each platform represented a significant investment, and its loss carried both operational and political consequences.
The ongoing war in West Asia has shown how Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that a Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, valued between $500-$700 million, was struck by a Shahed-136 drone, said to cost between $20,000 and $50,000.
A clear indication of how modern warfare increasingly favours systems that are low-cost relative to traditional platforms; mass-producible and expendable if necessary. Instead of relying on a handful of advanced platforms, forces can deploy large numbers of unmanned systems to overwhelm defences and maintain operational tempo.
Lessons from Global Battlefields
The shift toward drone-centric warfare became visible first in the never-ending Russia–Ukraine War. Both sides have deployed thousands of unmanned systems ranging from small FPV drones to long-range loitering munitions, causing severe damage on either side. In Operation Spiderweb, Ukraine reportedly launched over 100 drones from inside Russian territory, destroying at least 10 strategic bombers and other aircraft. This was one of the first times drones caused strategic-level airpower losses, not just battlefield damage.
Similarly, in the West Asia conflict, drones have caused severe damage to US military bases in the region, besidesindustrial facilities in the UAE and other Gulf countries. Drones have been used for precision strikes against tanks and artillery; real-time surveillance and targeting; electronic warfare and logistics support. Across the Middle East, drones have been used at scale to saturate air defence systems. Large volumes of low-cost UAVs are launched simultaneously, forcing defenders to expend expensive interceptors in response. The objective is not just physical destruction, but economic exhaustion. The impact has been profound. These conflicts illustrate a new reality. The balance of power is shifting from platform superiority to system scalability.
Figuring Out India’s Drone Ecosystem
India’s response to this shift has been multi-layered, combining indigenous innovation with targeted imports.India has developed a range of unmanned platforms tailored to different operational needs. The Nagastra-1 is a loitering munition designed for precision strikes, capable of hovering over a target area before engaging, while the Sheshnaag-150 has been developed to counter similar systems used by adversaries, enhancing India’s offensive and defensive drone capabilities.
Alongside, work is afoot on swarm drone programmes such as Vayu Baan and Project KAL. The IAF has issued RFP for Vayu Baan and development contracts have been initiated while Project KAL is still in the concept-to-early prototype phase. Project KAL is supposed to be India’s answer to long-range swarm strike warfare. Together, they signal a transition toward networked, swarm-based, distributed warfare, where numbers matter as much as precision
Imports Continue
To bridge capability gaps, India has also procured advanced systems such as the MQ-9B Predator. India has procured 31 MQ-9B Predator (SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian) drones from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems under Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. It is a tri-service deal with the Indian Navy getting 15 drones, while the Indian Army and IAF allocated eight drones each.
These drones offer long-endurance surveillance; maritime domain awareness and precision strike capability. However, their high cost and limited numbers mean they cannot substitute for large-scale indigenous production.
Scale Imperative
One of the most critical lessons from the Ukraine-Russia and the West Asia conflicts is the importance of scale.Modern drone warfare is not just about technological sophisticationit is also about volume. The ability to produce and deploy drones in large numbers determines operational effectiveness.
India is making progress, but scaling production remains a challenge. Moving from hundreds to thousands of deployable systems will be essential for maintaining parity in a swarm-based battlefield environment.
Companies like Garuda Aerospace are expanding production capabilities and developing a diverse portfolio of unmanned systems, from surveillance UAVs to swarm-enabled platforms.The ecosystem now includesStartups focused on AI and autonomous systems; Manufacturing firms building components and subsystems; and Defence public sector units supporting large-scale programmes
Counter-Drone Systems
As drones proliferate, defending against them has become equally important.Traditional air defence systems are not optimised for small, low-flying UAVs. This has led to the development of specialised counter-drone technologies, including electronic warfare systems that disrupt communication links; directed-energy weapons such as lasers; and Interceptor drones designed to neutralise hostile UAVs. India is actively investing in these capabilities.
Within this broader ecosystem, Ghatak occupies a unique position.It represents a strategic capability, one that could redefine India’s approach to air power.Its potential roles include deep-strike missions in contested airspace; supression of enemy air defences; high-risk operations without pilot exposure; and integration into network-centric warfare systems. It is not a standalone system, but will be a node in a larger combat network.
Future systems are expected to operate with minimal human intervention; coordinate in swarms and adapt to dynamic battlefield conditions using AI. Ghatak is a step in this direction.
Thus, the drone war revolution is reshaping the fundamentals of military power.For India, the March 27 AoN approval is more than a procurement decision, it is a strategic inflection point.With programmes like the Ghatak UCAV, a growing indigenous ecosystem, and increasing integration of unmanned systems into military doctrine, India is positioning itself for the next era of warfare.
The challenge now is execution, scaling production, accelerating development timelines, integrating systems across services and building doctrines that reflect the realities of drone-centric warfare. Because in the wars of the future, victory will not depend solely on the most advanced platforms.It will depend on the ability to deploy them at scale, adapt them rapidly, and integrate them seamlessly into a unified combat system.And in that future, the skies may no longer belong to pilots alone, but to fleets of autonomous machines, operating with speed, precision, and relentless persistence.
