India to Get New Spy Planes to Counter Nuclear Rivals Pakistan and China

Miami Herald

09-06-2025

India is preparing to bolster its intelligence and surveillance capabilities with the acquisition of advanced I-STAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) aircraft, in a major boost to the Air Force's ability to counter challenges posed by Pakistan and China, according to news reports.
Newsweek has reached out to India's Defense Ministry and the Pakistani government for comment.
The reports follows the worst confrontation in decades with Pakistan and underlined India's plan to strengthen aerial reconnaissance and to reduce reliance on foreign arms.
Pakistan performed strongly in air combat in May with the help of jets from China, which is another strategic rival of India's and is also locked in territorial disputes.
Tensions remain high between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, despite U.S. diplomatic efforts that helped bring about a ceasefire.
The project, at an estimated cost of 10,000 Indian Rupee (approximately $1.2 billion), involves integrating indigenous sensor systems onto foreign-made airframes and is expected to be reviewed by the defense ministry, according to news agency ANI, citing defense officials.
The systems for I-STAR have been developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) which integrates advanced airborne surveillance platforms for the Indian military. The I-STAR could mark a leap in the Indian Air Force's (IAF) ability to conduct precision strikes and monitor enemy movements.
High‑altitude surveillance planes will allow the IAF to conduct target enemy radar sites, mobile air defense units, and command posts-including from stand‑off ranges, according to The Economic Times.
India has fast-tracked the modernization of its air power-jets, drones, and advanced systems-following its recent armed exchange with Pakistan, where it caused damage but was also challenged by Pakistani air defenses.
India accelerated its defense buildup with $4.6 billion in emergency procurement, advancing stealth jet development, a $470 million drone deal, and a $7 billion purchase of 26 Rafale naval fighters, according to Reuters.
In March, Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, said new Delhi "can no longer overlook" threats resulting from the military ties between Pakistan and China, especially in advanced cyber and electronic warfare tools, according to India Today.
Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi said in March, according to India Today: "There is a high degree of collusion that we must acknowledge. In the virtual domain, it is nearly 100 per cent. Physically, most of the equipment present is of Chinese origin. The two-front war threat is a reality."
Christopher Clary, Non-resident fellow at the Stimson Center's South Asia program wrote in an analysis in May: "This crisis involved the use of several weapons systems, often in innovative ways, which neither India nor Pakistan possessed at the time of their last crisis in 2019. While this crisis provides a baseline for the next India-Pakistan crisis, the pace of military technological change means that the contours of that next crisis might be meaningfully different. Both sides' perceived setbacks and failures will serve as a major driver for defense acquisitions and doctrinal innovation."
India aims at acquiring three aircraft from foreign manufacturers including Boeing and Canada's Bombardier for the spy planes, ANI reported.
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