What is Bhargavastra? India's homegrown tech that hunts drones with precision

Mint

14-05-2025

India has a new answer to the growing menace of unmanned aerial threats with the successful development and testing of 'Bhargavastra', an indigenous, low-cost Counter Drone System inHard Kill mode. Designed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), the system signifies a major leap in the nation's defence capabilities, specifically aimed at countering Drone swarms with precision and cost-effectiveness.
The system underwent rigorous live-fire testing at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, where three trials were conducted on May 13 in the presence of senior officials from the Army Air Defence (AAD). Two of these involved the firing of single rockets, while one featured a salvo mode test, launching two micro rockets within just two seconds. All four rockets achieved their intended objectives, validating the technology's reliability and operational readiness.
'Bhargavastra' offers a unified, layered solution for countering aerial threats. Its first line of defence includes unguided micro rockets capable of neutralising drone swarms within a 20-meter lethal radius up to 2.5 km away. The second layer incorporates guided micro-missiles—already tested in earlier phases—for pinpoint accuracy against more complex threats.
This dual-layer architecture ensures that both large-scale drone swarms and individual UAVs can be effectively engaged, minimising risk to critical installations and troops on the ground.
Engineered for deployment across varied terrains, including high-altitude zones above 5,000 meters, the system is highly modular, allowing for easy integration with jamming and spoofing technologies for a soft-kill layer. Sensors including Radar, Electro-Optical (EO) and RF receivers can be configured as per mission requirements, ensuring compatibility with existing network-centric warfare infrastructure.
At the heart of the system is a sophisticated Command-and-Control Centre featuring C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) capabilities. Its radar system can detect even Low Radar Cross-Section (LRCS) drones from 6 to 10 km, while the EO/IR sensor suite ensures high-precision tracking and identification of aerial threats.
This integrated setup offers complete situational awareness, enabling operators to detect, evaluate, and neutralise both individual drones and coordinated swarm attacks in real time.
According to SDAL, while several global defence players are working on similar systems,Bhargavastra stands out due to its indigenous design, cost-efficiency, and open-source architecture. It is one of the few systems globally to offer multi-layered, hard-kill and soft-kill capabilities specifically tuned for swarm drone neutralisation.
The successful development of Bhargavastra is not just a technological breakthrough but also a strategic move in strengthening India's air defence umbrella. It adds a potent, agile weapon to the arsenal of the Indian Armed Forces while reinforcing the Make in India mission through indigenous innovation and manufacturing.
As drone warfare becomes a growing concern across conflict zones, Bhargavastra positions India among a select group of nations capable of developing comprehensive, scalable, and effective counter-drone technologies.