The Rise of Drones in Modern Warfare
- Drones (UAVs) have become the weapon of choice due to their versatility, affordability, and ability to achieve strategic objectives.
- They blur lines between military-grade and commercial technologies, with civilian drones now easily repurposed for combat.
Relevance : GS 3(Technology , Defence)
India’s Tactical Shift
- Operation Sindoor (post-Pahalgam attack) shows India’s shift towards integrated drone use in live combat.
- Reflects a broader doctrinal evolution aligning with global trends like Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web.
Global Precedents
- Nagorno-Karabakh War (2020): Loitering munitions (Harop drones) destroyed enemy air defences, reshaping aerial combat.
- Ukraine War: Real-time testing ground for mass-produced, improvised drones with rapid innovation-counterinnovation cycles.
- Myanmar: Rebel groups use 3D-printed drones to level the battlefield.
Drone Effectiveness Hinges on Resilience
- Drones are vulnerable to electronic warfare, jamming, and air defences.
- Countermeasures (soft & hard kill) require innovation to evade detection, e.g.:
- AI-based navigation
- Terrain mapping & machine vision
- Frequency hopping
- Fibre-optic tethers (Ukraine example)
Counter-Drone Strategies
- India uses Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) with S-400, MR-SAM, Akash systems.
- Indigenous counter-UAV tech successfully used against Pakistan’s drone incursions.
- Swarm drone attacks (e.g. Russia’s Shahed drones) can overwhelm air defences — need for magazine depth and redundancy.
Asymmetric Edge & Mass Production
- Drones provide asymmetric capability against stronger adversaries (e.g., China).
- India must build volume and modularity into drone fleets to sustain prolonged conflicts.
- China’s drone fleet (Wing Loong, Soaring Dragon, CH-901, etc.) gives it an edge, especially in swarm tactics at LAC.
Civil-Military Crossover
- Commercial drones + open-source software = new war potential.
- Dual-use drones lower cost but may compromise on performance.
- Innovations like 3D printing allow:
- Decentralised, rapid manufacturing
- Bypass of complex supply chains
- Scalability for high attrition warfare (e.g. Titan Falcon in Ukraine)
Internal Security Implications
- Weaponised commercial drones pose emerging threats from terrorists and non-state actors.
- Counter-drone measures must extend beyond military — involve home ministry, local police, airport security, etc.
Defence Industrial Base – The Key Lesson
- Ukraine war shows the need for a responsive, scalable defence industry.
- India’s low procurement rate disincentivises domestic production.
- Uncertain demand, lack of surge capacity, and limited R&D deter innovation.
Way Forward for India
- Strengthen the defence manufacturing ecosystem through:
- Stable procurement commitments
- Surge-capacity infrastructure
- Public-private partnerships
- Invest in AI, drone swarm tech, and counter-UAV systems.
- Frame civil-military integration policy for drone deployment and threat mitigation.
