India’s army chief inspects new combat drones (VIDEO)
During a field tour, General Upendra Dwivedi was briefed on several initiatives to boost combat readiness
India’s army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, inspected drone systems during a troop review in Ambala, Haryana. During the visit on Monday, he was briefed on initiatives to strengthen combat readiness, integrate advanced technologies and enhance inter-agency coordination, the Army said.
Drones played a key role in Operation Sindoor, the brief but intense clash between India and Pakistan in May, when Indian anti-drone systems intercepted more than 300 incoming aircraft, according to local media reports.
India has long relied on imported military unmanned aerial vehicles, but its defense forces are now expanding domestic production of these systems.
Recently, the Indian Navy acquired Drishti-10 Starliner drones, manufactured domestically by Adani Defense and Aerospace in partnership with Israeli firm Elbit. Considered the Indian equivalent of the Hermes StarLiner, the platform reportedly contains around 70% domestic components.
#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS, visited #KhargaCorps to review the formation’s operational preparedness. He was briefed on initiatives aimed at enhancing combat readiness, integrating cutting-edge technologies, strengthening inter-agency synergy and advancing Nation Building… pic.twitter.com/q4neURDeuH
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 4, 2025
The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) are working on a range of domestic drone programs, including Abhyas, Ghatak, Rustom-1, TAPAS, Imperial Eagle, Kapothaka, Lakshya, Nishant, Golden Hawk, Pushpak and Slybird, according to Fortune India. Several of these systems have already entered commercial production, the report said.
The Indian military drone market reportedly generated roughly $1.5 billion in revenue in 2024 and is projected to grow to about $4 billion by 2030, according to reports.