Key Points

The Indian armed forces already operate a large fleet of Heron drones across all three services, the Army, Navy and Air Force, from their respective bases.

Intelligence agencies also use Herons for specialised operations.

Defence officials have told ANI that the forces are placing new orders to acquire additional Heron drones, which were effectively deployed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May this year

The officials further said efforts are underway to weaponise these drones. One wing of the armed forces is working on equipping Herons with Spike-NLOS (non-line-of-sight) anti-tank guided missiles, which will give them the ability to strike enemy targets during future conflicts.

The Heron drones are primarily used for long-range surveillance on both the Chinese and Pakistani borders and have proved highly effective.

In parallel, the Indian Air Force and the Ministry of Defence have been pursuing Project Cheetah for several years to upgrade the surveillance and combat capabilities of the Heron fleet.

India has also been acquiring the advanced Heron Mark 2 drones in recent years. These upgraded UAVs are equipped with satellite communication systems, enabling them to fly longer missions with extended ranges.

At the same time, India also has its own indigenous programme to develop Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones. Under this plan, the government is looking to procure 87 UAVs through a competitive bidding process.

Major defence companies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Solar Industries Defence and Aerospace, and Adani Defence are expected to be key contenders.

Some of the drones under this programme will likely be developed in collaboration with established Israeli defence manufacturers.

The armed forces have projected a long-term requirement of nearly 400 MALE drones over the next 10-15 years to meet the country's security needs.

- ANI