India aims to become ‘drone hub of the world’

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on November 12 that the country has ambitions to become a “drone hub of the world” with several initiatives already underway.

“This would not only help the Indian economy but also significantly contribute to our Make in India and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme,” the Defence Minister said. “We are already working to improve Research & Development through reliable certification mechanisms, and facilitate Indian Intellectual Property creation in this sector. Additionally, we have also introduced rewards for innovation through the schemes of iDEX [Innovation for Defence Excellence] and ADITI [a subscheme of iDEX].”

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliant India campaign aims to promote Indian products in the global supply chain.

Shri Rajnath Singh stated that drones and swarm technologies are bringing fundamental changes to warfare. The country is also stepping up its counter-drone defences with installations to protect military bases and infrastructure increasing over the last twelve months. In addition, India’s Ministry of Defence has outlined plans to further enhance the nation’s counter drone capabilities through multiple tenders, including emergency procurements, with an estimated addressable opportunity of Rs. 3,000 crores over the next five years. Contracts already awarded include a number of man-portable counter-drone systems for the Indian Army from Axiscades.