Media365
Every generation of warfare has a technology that changes the way militaries fight. The machine gun transformed infantry warfare. Aircraft redefined military power in the twentieth century. Today, drones are triggering a similar shift.
Over the past three years, battlefields from Ukraine to West Asia have delivered the same lesson. Cheap, expendable drones can destroy tanks worth millions of dollars, evade sophisticated air defence systems, gather real-time intelligence and carry out precision strikes with remarkable accuracy. They are no longer supporting equipment. They are increasingly becoming central to modern warfare.
India has been paying attention.
The lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Iran conflict and India’s own Operation Sindoor are beginning to influence how New Delhi prepares for future wars. The biggest change is not simply in military doctrine — it is in what the armed forces are planning to buy.
That shift is expected to become visible this year.
India is preparing what could become its largest-ever indigenous military drone procurement, with industry estimates suggesting orders worth more than $2 billion (over Rs 20,000 crore) over the next 18 to 24 months, Reuters reported. If finalised, the acquisition would be several times larger than previous tactical drone purchases and would mark one of the clearest signs yet that drones are moving from the sidelines to the centre of India’s military planning.
The numbers are important. But the strategic message behind them matters even more.
For decades, India’s military modernisation centred on fighter aircraft, tanks, artillery and warships. Those platforms will remain indispensable. But modern conflicts have shown that future wars will increasingly rely on autonomous systems that can conduct surveillance, jam enemy communications, deliver supplies, launch precision attacks and operate in swarms — all at a fraction of the cost of conventional military hardware.
Modern wars are rewriting military doctrine
The Russia-Ukraine war fundamentally changed perceptions about drones.
Low-cost first-person-view (FPV) drones began destroying tanks and armoured vehicles costing hundreds of times more. Commercial drones were adapted to guide artillery, monitor troop movements and even attack fortified positions. The conflict demonstrated that a relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft could sometimes achieve what previously required far more expensive weapons.
The conflicts in West Asia reinforced the same lesson.
Iran’s large-scale drone attacks, often combined with missile barrages, showed how unmanned systems could stretch even sophisticated air defence networks. Israel’s operations highlighted the growing role of loitering munitions, autonomous surveillance platforms and counter-drone technologies.
The conclusion has become difficult for militaries to ignore: drones are no longer an optional capability. They are becoming a core component of military power.
India appears to be drawing the same conclusion.
According to Reuters, New Delhi is preparing to accelerate indigenous drone acquisitions as it seeks to strengthen operational capability while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.
From buying drones to building capabilities
Executives across India’s drone industry say they have noticed a clear shift in conversations with the armed forces.
“Recent conflicts have reinforced what the defence industry has been anticipating for years: drones are no longer force multipliers but frontline assets,” says Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, Founder and CEO of IG Defence.
Instead of discussing individual drone platforms, procurement conversations are increasingly centred on complete operational capabilities — integrating artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, electronic warfare, border surveillance and counter-drone technologies.
The question is no longer whether drones are needed.
It is how quickly they can be deployed, how effectively they can operate together and how much of that capability can be built in India.
That change extends well beyond drones themselves.
“The changing nature of modern warfare has significantly increased the focus on drones and their enabling technologies,” says Kajal Shah, Co-founder and CEO of Dreamfly Innovations.
While declining to comment on specific defence engagements, Shah says there is a visible shift towards indigenous technologies that improve endurance, reliability and operational efficiency.
Advanced battery systems, she says, are emerging as an increasingly important part of India’s long-term defence capability — a reminder that the future of drone warfare will depend as much on the technologies inside the aircraft as on the aircraft themselves.
Operation Sindoor accelerated the momentum
Industry executives believe Operation Sindoor gave additional urgency to India’s indigenous drone ambitions.
“Operation Sindoor further reinforced the strategic importance of indigenous unmanned systems and accelerated the focus on strengthening domestic drone capabilities,” says Alvin Anthony, CEO and Co-Founder of NextLeap Aeronautics.
According to Anthony, the operation has encouraged faster procurement decisions, emergency acquisitions and greater attention towards indigenous drones, loitering munitions and counter-drone systems.
Government policy has also moved in the same direction.
Over the past few years, initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) have encouraged private-sector participation, simplified procurement and expanded opportunities for domestic manufacturers.
The objective is becoming increasingly clear: reduce dependence on imports while building a competitive domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem.
A drone industry coming of age
India’s drone ecosystem has expanded rapidly.
Today, more than 600 companies manufacture drones and related technologies, with over 100 focused on defence applications. Alongside established defence companies, a new generation of startups is developing surveillance drones, loitering munitions, logistics platforms, autonomous software and advanced battery technologies.
Executives believe this is the beginning of a structural investment cycle rather than a temporary surge.
“India has clearly entered a long-term defence manufacturing cycle, and unmanned systems will be one of its strongest growth drivers,” Sanghapriya says.
Shah shares that optimism. “India is well-positioned for a sustained growth cycle in drones and autonomous technologies,” she says. Rising investment in indigenous manufacturing, AI-driven systems, advanced energy storage and defence modernisation will shape the sector over the next decade, she adds.
The industry’s optimism reflects a broader global trend. Defence spending is increasingly shifting beyond conventional platforms towards autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, software, electronic warfare and advanced sensors.
The next battle is inside the drone
Ironically, India’s biggest challenge is no longer building drones.
It is building what goes inside them.
The country continues to depend on imports for advanced semiconductor chips, electro-optical payloads, flight controllers, secure communication systems, infrared sensors and propulsion technologies.
These are the components that determine how intelligently a drone can navigate, communicate, identify targets and survive hostile environments.
Shah believes India has made significant progress in building indigenous drone platforms but says meaningful localisation of specialised technologies such as advanced semiconductors and sensors will take time.
She estimates that substantial localisation across critical technologies is achievable over the next five to seven years as investment in electronics, batteries and semiconductor manufacturing continues to grow.
Anthony echoes that view, arguing that India has largely mastered platform integration.
“The next big battle is building independent capabilities across the entire technology stack,” he says.
Procurement must evolve as quickly as technology
Industry executives say technology is now advancing faster than procurement systems.
Unlike fighter aircraft or tanks, drones evolve rapidly. New capabilities emerge every few months, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, software, communications and batteries.
Manufacturers argue that procurement systems must become equally agile.
Shah believes faster technology validation, stronger testing infrastructure and long-term procurement visibility will allow companies to invest more confidently in research and manufacturing.
Sanghapriya adds that closer collaboration between the armed forces, industry and research institutions will be critical if India wants to maintain technological momentum.
The opportunity extends far beyond India’s borders
The industry’s ambitions are not limited to domestic defence contracts.
Executives believe India has the ingredients to emerge as a credible exporter of military drones and related technologies.
A large engineering talent pool, competitive manufacturing costs and growing software expertise provide a strong foundation.
“The capability is certainly there,” Shah says. “Strengthening indigenous technology development, building resilient supply chains and achieving globally recognised quality standards will further enhance India’s competitiveness.”
Advanced battery technologies, she adds, will become a key differentiator for high-performance UAVs competing in global markets.
For India, the implications go beyond military preparedness.
A stronger drone ecosystem could deepen the country’s semiconductor ambitions, create high-value manufacturing jobs, strengthen exports and reduce strategic dependence on overseas suppliers.
History shows that militaries often prepare for the last war instead of the next one.
India appears determined not to make that mistake.
Fighter aircraft, tanks and warships will remain pillars of national defence for decades. But recent conflicts have shown that future wars will increasingly be shaped by autonomous systems operating alongside those conventional platforms.
The real competition, therefore, is no longer about building more drones alone. It is about building the technology, supply chains and industrial ecosystem that will define the next generation of warfare — and India appears determined to be part of that race.
