Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has stressed that India is making a strong move to improve its military capabilities by greatly increasing the country’s capacity to produce military-grade drones.
The Defence Secretary pointed out that although India already has a strong civilian drone industry, only a small number of manufacturers—roughly three to five—are currently able to produce military-grade drones. Given the growing significance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in contemporary warfare, this gap must be filled immediately.
The government is using its monopoly status as the only buyer in the defense industry to boost the sector and hasten this change. It is anticipated that the plan will stimulate investment and growth in the military drone industry by giving manufacturers clear visibility into future orders and assisting them through government procurement.
Since a large portion of the necessary technology is now unavailable domestically, the government also acknowledges the need of technological transfers. To close this gap, partnerships and collaborations with foreign technology providers would be promoted.
To expedite the defense procurement process, a significant policy change is currently in progress. It is believed that the present Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP 2020) is unduly complicated and onerous. Within the next six months, the government hopes to issue DAP 2025, a more streamlined and effective version.
By eliminating needless criteria that limit competition, permitting concurrent processes, and eliminating duplicate phases, the new technique seeks to reduce the maximum procurement cycle to two years, even for complex projects. This is meant to guarantee a quicker integration of cutting-edge technologies into the military and to level the playing field for private sector involvement.
The Defense Secretary emphasized the size of the opportunity for indigenous business by pointing out that the number of orders for military-grade drones might surpass the total revenue of all Indian civilian drone producers. In order to guarantee that investments made in the production of military drones are supported by a steady and sizable demand, the government encourages producers through direct orders and tenders.
These programs are a part of a larger plan to establish India as a major defense exporter and drone superpower in the world. Strategic autonomy and the long-term objective of making India a developed country by 2047 are seen to depend on the government’s emphasis on “Atmanirbharta” (Self-Reliance) in defense. The goal of targeted procurement and policy continuity over the next two years is to close current capability gaps and promote a robust military-grade drone ecosystem.
The rapid expansion of military-grade drone manufacture is being prioritized by India’s defense establishment, led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, through policy change, government backing, technology transfer, and expedited procurement procedures. By taking these steps, India would be able to stay up with the latest developments in contemporary military technology and solidify its standing as a regional and international defense force.
