MALE drone better than Predator, Brahmos, radar: Indian armed forces to get Rs 67,000 crore booster. Here's what's coming
India's defence ministry has approved ₹67,000 crore in modernisation proposals, including the acquisition of 87 armed heavy-duty drones and over 110 BrahMos missiles. These procurements aim to bolster strike and surveillance capabilities across the armed forces. The domestically produced drones and missiles will enhance India's defence capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
AI generated image used for representation The defence ministry on Tuesday approved modernisation proposals worth ₹67,000 crore, including the procurement of 87 armed heavy-duty drones and over 110 air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. The weapons cleared under the 'acceptance of necessity' (AoN) by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, are aimed at strengthening strike and surveillance capabilities across all three armed forces.
The Indian Air Force had used BrahMos missiles and Israeli-origin kamikaze drones during recent hostilities with Pakistan in May under Operation Sindoor. The 87 new drones, capable of returning to base after strike missions, are intended to speed up induction compared to the 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from the US, which will only be delivered in 2029–30.
According to defence ministry officials and reports from the Times of India: 87 armed medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely-piloted aircraft Equipped with air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided bombs
To be produced in India with 60% indigenous content via a foreign partnership
Estimated cost: ₹20,000 crore, plus ₹11,000 crore for 10-year logistical and OEM support
Over 110 air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles Range: 450 km, speed: Mach 2.8
Estimated cost: ₹10,800 crore
Operated in combination with Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets
Eight BrahMos fire control systems and vertical launchers for older Indian warships Estimated cost: ₹650 crore
Intended for warships not yet fitted with the BrahMos system
Around 20 frontline warships, including the latest destroyers and frigates, are already armed with the BrahMos missiles
New thermal imager-based driver night-sights for BMP infantry combat vehicles To enhance night driving and mobility of mechanised infantry
Compact autonomous surface crafts for the Navy For detection, classification and neutralisation of underwater threats during anti-submarine warfare missions
Upgrade of older Israeli Barak-1 point defence missile systems on warships
Specialised mountain radars for the Indian Air Force To improve air surveillance along northern borders with China
Upgrade of the Saksham (Israeli-origin Spyder) anti-aircraft missile system Current range: 15 km
Aimed at enhancing air defence capabilities
Sustenance support for US-origin C-17 and C-130J aircraft fleets
Comprehensive annual maintenance contract for Russian S-400 long-range air defence missile systems
The MALE drones, which come with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike capabilities, are expected to be inducted faster than the MQ-9B Predator HALE (high-altitude, long-endurance) drones ordered from the US for ₹32,350 crore in October last year, which will be delivered only in the 2029–30 timeframe. Officials said the need for such systems was evident during Operation Sindoor.While India had previously used Israeli-origin Harop and Harpy drones as kamikaze systems during cross-border operations, the new drones will offer reusable strike capability and long-range endurance.
The BrahMos missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, has become the primary conventional precision-strike weapon for the armed forces. The missile has been deployed on warships, aircraft and mobile launchers, with cumulative contracts exceeding ₹58,000 crore to date.In March 2023, the ministry signed a ₹19,519 crore deal for over 220 BrahMos missiles for frontline warships. About 20 frontline Indian warships, including the latest destroyers and frigates, are already equipped with the system.(With inputs from TOI)
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