&w=3840&q=100)
The biz of drone power: Startups, traditional giants fuel India's arsenal
India's Operation Sindoor against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan showed its capability in drone warfare. SkyStriker, a suicide drone made by a company in Bengaluru in partnership with an Israeli firm, and Harop, a kind of Israel-made 'loitering munition', made headlines. India has built its drone arsenal through global tieups and policy reforms like a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and an import ban from 2021.
India first used military drones, for surveillance, during the Kargil war in 1999. In 1849, Austria became the first to use unmanned balloons with explosives during the siege of Venice. Industry experts say that India is going to be one of the fastest-growing global markets for drones: for civil and defence purposes. The country's drone market revenue will expand from nearly $500 million in FY24 to $11 billion by FY30, according to estimates made by the Drone Federation of India.
"With logistics and a lot of strategic sectors of defence being unlocked, this is going to be a realistic target. Out of this, defence [drone revenue] will be the highest at around 30 per cent, logistics around 25 per cent, and agriculture around 20 per cent. This $11 billion includes drone sales, component sales, services and the leasing ecosystem," said Smit Shah, president of the Drone Federation of India (DFI).
There were hardly any Indian companies in the drone sector five years ago but there are 550 now. Out of this lot, more than 100 companies are specifically working in the defence sector, according to DFI's data. Besides startups, traditional industry majors like Adani, Tata, Murugappa, and Paras have joined the fray through global tie-ups.
SkyStriker is manufactured by Alpha Design Technologies in Bengaluru in partnership with Israel's Elbit Systems. Adani Defence Systems and Technologies has a 26 per cent stake in Alpha Design. Tata Advanced Systems supplies to the Indian military long-range 250 km autonomous suicide drones capable of operating from altitudes of 10,000 feet. Paras Defence & Space Technologies has joined hands with HevenDrones in Israel to come up with hydrogen-powered and mission-specific drones.
'Anti-drone systems are passive in detection. [The system] detects and uses forms of kinetic force to neutralise enemy drones,' said Sambit Parida, co-founder and chief technology officer of IG Drones, a prominent player in the technology. Anti-drone systems spoof their locations, making them the first level of deterrence against enemy drones. GPS spoofing involves generating and transmitting fake signals to trick a drone into believing it's receiving a genuine signal, producing false positioning data that leads to inaccurate navigation.
Parida said that besides the military, advanced drones are of use in policing and border security. Gurugram-based IG Drones makes Jaga, an advanced surveillance drone optimised for security and monitoring. Its other products include Skyhawk VTOL and Skyfire. The Indian Air Force (IAF) in March signed a contract with IG Drones to adopt the company's Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) system to track and manage tools at airbases. As part of India's plans for self-reliance in defence technology, BLE will be first used at the Gwalior airbase before its planned expansion to other IAF and Army facilities.
"Recent conflicts have proven that unmanned systems provide real-time intelligence and operational flexibility. This shift is being driven by rapid advances in AI (artificial intelligence), autonomy, and sensor technology, making drones increasingly vital for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and combat roles," said Ashok Kumar Gupta, executive chairman of Optiemus Group. The company last month launched four advanced drones providing solutions for a wide range of defence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
"As AI and autonomous systems evolve, drones are becoming even more versatile and strategic, enabling armed forces to respond swiftly to emerging threats and operate in environments that are inaccessible or too dangerous for humans," said Gupta.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
14 minutes ago
- First Post
From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat: News18 SheShakti 2025, Delhi Set to Launch the Third Edition
News18 Network is all set to host the third edition of Lions International Presents News18 SheShakti, India's leading platform dedicated to amplifying women's voices and honouring the remarkable journeys of women who are shaping the country. This year's theme, 'From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat,' reflects an evolving narrative - transitioning from overcoming challenges to actively shaping the nation's future. As anticipation builds across the capital, the SheShakti stage in Delhi on August 21 prepares to highlight the inspiring stories of 2025 that embody the unyielding spirit of women. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In recent months, India has seen women achieve milestones across various fields, from leading scientific innovations and winning global sporting honours to setting new standards in entrepreneurship and redefining roles in governance and defence. These achievements serve as a testament to a society embracing progress, where ambition is not confined by gender. More from Business How Indian fintech startups are driving Malaysia's UPI-like digital payments revolution Over the years, SheShakti has emerged as one of India's most influential platform celebrating women. Past editions have seen participation from national luminaries, such as Hon'ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, Former Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, Former CJI Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, and cultural icons such as Asha Bhosle and Usha Uthup, along with STEM trailblazers Dr. Tessy Thomas and Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam. This year, we continue to amplify voices shaping Bharat at every level: from boardrooms to classrooms, and from grassroots activism to national governance. Our most recent milestone, the first-ever regional chapter in Mumbai, brought the platform closer to the ground, amplifying voices driving change within their communities. By focusing locally, SheShakti has broadened its scope and sharpened its focus, uncovering powerful stories of courage, innovation, and leadership from every corner of the country. News18 SheShakti has grown beyond being just a celebration; it now serves as a platform connecting visionaries, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders. The 2025 Delhi edition will not only focus on the past successes but also explore how today's trailblazers are building a more just and ambitious Bharat. The discussions will connect individual courage to broader societal change. The third edition of She Shakti promises powerful conversations and forward-thinking actions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Join us for Lions International Presents News18 SheShakti 2025, where the promise is more than inspiration; it's a commitment to action, collaboration, and building Bharat with and through its women. Register now at
India.com
14 minutes ago
- India.com
Bad news for employees of THIS company as it fires 10% of its India workforce due to…, Not Ratan Tata's TCS, Azim Premji's Wipro or Narayana Murthy's Infosys
Narayana Murthy, Late Ratan Tata and Azim Premji- File image (Left to right) Oracle layoff: In a matter of bad news for Indians working in US companies and more specifically, Oracle, an American multinational computer technology company headquartered in Austin, Texas has trimmed around 10% of its India workforce mostly concentrated in the Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) unit. Here are all the details you need to know about the recent layoff decision by Oracle. Why is Oracle firing Indian employees? As per a report by BW People, the layoff is part of wider global restructuring, with employees in Israel, Canada, and the US also impacted. The report also said that enterprise engineering, Fusion ERP, AI/ML, and other core cloud functions are most likely impacted by the Oracle layoff decision. Oracle to train 200K students in India in Cloud, AI tech In a significant development from June, Cloud major Oracle announced that it would support the training of 200,000 students in India in Cloud, data science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and other emerging technologies, a report by news agency IANS said. 'Tamil Nadu ranks among one of India's top 12 states with a growing youth population. As part of our responsibility to provide youth and young professionals with a platform to upskill themselves and achieve their career goals, we launched Naan Mudhalvan,' said J. Innocent Divya, MD, TNSDC. (With inputs from agencies)
Economic Times
14 minutes ago
- Economic Times
BJP dares INDIA bloc parties to dissolve assemblies in states ruled by them if EC unfair
Agencies Election Commission of India The BJP on Monday dared INDIA bloc parties to dissolve state assemblies where they are in power if they doubt the Election Commission's fairness, and alleged that their sole aim behind protesting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar is to shield infiltrators. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters that it has become Rahul Gandhi's habit to cry "chor chor", claiming that it is ironic that leaders like him or RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, who is on bail in a corruption case like the Congress leader, are charging constitutional bodies with theft. He alleged that parties like the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) seek "complete chaos" in India and want the country to resemble the unrest seen in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. His attack on opposition parties came after eight of them, including the Congress, TMC, SP, DMK and RJD, hit out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that instead of responding to questions raised by them, he chose to attack them at his presser on Sunday. The ruling alliance and the Opposition have been involved in a war of words over the SIR of electoral rolls, with the latter forcing a virtual washout of Parliament's Monsoon session over the issue since it began on July 21. The only business that Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been able to conduct smoothly was a two-day discussion in each of the House over Operation Sindoor. Accusing Gyanesh Kumar of acting like a BJP spokesperson, opposition parties said he failed to answer their questions on the SIR and issues related to the voter list irregularities. Patra asserted that the CEC made a point-by-point "technical rebuttal" to the charges levelled by opposition leaders like Gandhi but they are deliberately crying foul. "They want a chaotic situation to develop in India and benefit politically. This is their attempt," he said. Noting that the Supreme Court is hearing the SIR issue and has not stopped the exercise, Patra asked if the "bench" of opposition leaders is more authoritative than the highest judiciary. On media reports about the Congress planning to serve impeachment notice against the CEC in Parliament, he said the "indignified words" that Gandhi and his party are using against the poll body reflect their frustration of losing one election after another. "This reflects the frustration of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. They have only one goal -- the (Gandhi) family must gain power at any cost," Patra charged. With TMC MP Mahua Moitra echoing the demand of some other opposition leaders that the Lok Sabha should be dissolved as the last elections were held on "faulty" voters list, the BJP leader hit back, saying the governments in states like West Bengal and Telangana, where INDIA bloc parties are in power, should dissolve their assemblies. Noting that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in power since 2011 following her repeated wins in the polls held by the same EC, he asked if she ever said she will dissolve the Assembly. "If you think the poll process is unfair, then dissolve the Assembly," he said. With Gandhi on a 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' through Bihar and accusing the Election Commission of "vote chori" in collusion with the BJP, Patra said nobody takes him seriously and people of the state will reject the RJD-Congress alliance in favour of the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Referring to Gandhi and Yadav, Patra alleged they were "do chor". He said opposition parties never followed the legal means by moving court within 45 days of the results or taking up their issues with the electoral rolls with the Election Commission. "Did they ever do it? They will shout 'chor chor' on the streets and will not allow Parliament to function," he said, accusing the Congress of being a destructive force which will be rejected by people. He said Gandhi had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with "chor" barb over the Rafale deal but ended up apologising in the Supreme Court for attributing to the apex court critical comments against the government it never made. Charging Gandhi and other opposition leaders of often targeting key institutions like the apex court, EC or the armed forces, he said the Congress leader's campaign will amount to nothing. One is a "chara chor", he alleged, referring to the RJD whose supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has been convicted in the fodder scam, and another comes from a family which is involved in stealing so many things. "The functioning of Parliament is being obstructed... Not letting any work be done. What is the intention behind this?" Patra asked. "What is the intention behind Rahul Gandhi undertaking a yatra (in Bihar)? There is only one intention behind all these -- that is to protect intruders, infiltrators," Patra charged. The BJP leader said it is the Election Commission's responsibility to ensure that those who are not citizens of the country do not cast their votes in elections but Rahul Gandhi and opposition parties are raising questions on the revision of the voter list in Bihar to win the election on the votes of intruders and illegal infiltrators. "How to win elections through intruders, how to use intruders, how to carry forward appeasement politics - this is what the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been doing," he charged. PTI
