Moving from Drone Purchases to Drone Partnerships

Context

The Government of India plans to procure drones worth $2 billion from domestic manufacturers, providing a major boost to the indigenous drone ecosystem.

The initiative aligns with the objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and seeks to strengthen India’s defence manufacturing and technological capabilities.

Significance

The move reflects a major shift in military procurement priorities:

Traditional Approach

• Fighter aircraft
• Tanks
• Heavy artillery systems

Emerging Approach

• Drones
• Autonomous systems
• Loitering munitions
• Swarm technologies

This transition recognises the growing importance of smaller, cheaper, and attritable systems in modern warfare.

What are Attritable Systems?

Attritable systems are relatively low-cost military platforms designed to be:

• Expendable
• Easily replaceable
• Operationally effective despite losses

Their destruction does not impose major strategic or financial costs.

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Changing Economics of Drone Warfare

Public discussions often focus on large Uncrewed Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) such as:

• MQ-9B Reaper
• Bayraktar TB2

However, recent conflicts have demonstrated that micro and nano drones can often deliver greater battlefield impact at a fraction of the cost.

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Micro Drones

Definition

Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) typically weighing:

250 grams – 2 kilograms

Applications

• Surveillance
• Reconnaissance
• Mapping
• Tactical military operations
• Target acquisition

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Nano Drones

Definition

Ultra-small UAVs weighing:

Up to 250 grams

Often small enough to fit in the palm of a hand.

Applications

• Indoor surveillance
• Close-range reconnaissance
• Covert operations
• Special forces missions

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Drone Classification in India

Under the Drone Rules 2021, drones are classified according to their Maximum All-Up Weight (AUW):

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Lessons from Recent Conflicts

Russia–Ukraine War

The conflict demonstrated that large-scale deployment of inexpensive drones can produce substantial military effects.

Key Observation

Destroying a drone often costs significantly more than producing it.

This creates an economic asymmetry in warfare.

Example

• A low-cost drone may cost a few hundred dollars.
• An interceptor missile may cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As a result, militaries increasingly favour:

• Mass production
• Swarm tactics
• Low-cost autonomous systems

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Iran’s Drone Campaigns

Drone attacks involving low-cost platforms have highlighted how relatively inexpensive technologies can challenge sophisticated air-defence systems.

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Rise of Commercial Drone Innovation

Commercially available drones are increasingly being modified for military purposes.

Benefits

• Lower development costs
• Faster innovation cycles
• Rapid battlefield adaptation

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First-Person View (FPV) Drones

A notable example from Ukraine is the use of FPV drones equipped with warheads.

What are FPV Drones?

FPV (First-Person View) drones are operated through:

• Live video feeds
• Real-time visual control

This enables highly precise manoeuvring and targeting.

Advantages

• Low cost
• High accuracy
• Easy scalability
• Rapid deployment

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Importance of Civil-Military Collaboration

Innovation in military drones is closely linked with developments in civilian drone technology.

Therefore, effective defence innovation requires cooperation among:

Industry

• Drone manufacturers
• Technology companies

Academia

• Universities
• Research institutions

Military

• Armed forces
• Defence research organisations

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China’s Example

China’s rapid emergence as a global drone leader demonstrates the benefits of:

• Integrated innovation ecosystems
• Strong industry-academia partnerships
• Continuous technology development

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Challenge of Technological Obsolescence

The biggest challenge in drone warfare is not procurement but maintaining technological relevance.

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Short Operational Life Cycle

Unlike:

• Fighter aircraft
• Tanks
• Naval platforms

which can remain effective for decades, tactical drones may become obsolete within:

2–3 years

due to rapid technological evolution.

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Evolving Threat Environment

Advancements in:

• Sensors
• Artificial intelligence
• Communication systems
• Electronic warfare technologies

can quickly render existing drone systems ineffective.

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Electronic Warfare (EW): A Major Threat

What is Electronic Warfare?

Electronic Warfare (EW) refers to military actions that use the electromagnetic spectrum to:

• Disrupt enemy communications
• Jam signals
• Deceive sensors
• Destroy electronic systems

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Impact on Drones

Enemy jammers can adapt to new drone communication systems within:

6–8 weeks

making many drone platforms vulnerable shortly after deployment.

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Ukraine’s Adaptation

During the Russia–Ukraine conflict, engineers responded to electronic jamming by:

• Replacing radio communication links
• Using fibre-optic cable-guided drones

This innovation reduced vulnerability to electronic interference and highlighted the importance of rapid technological adaptation.

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India’s Existing Procurement Framework

Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)

India’s Draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) allows procurement of:

Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Systems

These are commercially available products that can be purchased and deployed with minimal modification.

Benefits

• Faster acquisition
• Reduced development time
• Lower procurement costs

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Upgrade Provisions

The DAP also contains provisions for:

• System upgrades
• Capability enhancements
• Equipment modifications

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Defence Procurement Manual (DPM)

The Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) provides financial flexibility for:

• Repairs
• Maintenance
• Technology upgrades
• Unexpected operational expenses

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Existing Limitation

Current procurement processes remain largely:

Transactional

They focus primarily on:

• Tendering
• One-time purchases
• Hardware delivery

rather than continuous capability enhancement.

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Towards a New Procurement Model

Experts argue that rapidly evolving technologies such as drones require a different procurement philosophy.

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Managed Service Contract Model

Instead of purchasing drones as standalone products, manufacturers would provide:

• Continuous maintenance
• Software updates
• Hardware upgrades
• Replacement support
• Operational assistance

through long-term service agreements.

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Advantages

Continuous Modernisation

Ensures drones remain technologically relevant.

Assured Supply Chains

Maintains availability of spare parts and replacements.

Surge Production Capability

Allows rapid scaling during crises or conflicts.

Predictable Demand

Provides stability for domestic manufacturers.

Improved Military Readiness

Keeps systems operational and effective throughout their lifecycle.

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Why This Matters for India

India’s domestic drone industry has matured significantly and possesses the technical capability to support defence requirements.

The proposed $2 billion procurement programme provides:

• Financial support
• Policy momentum
• Market certainty

for indigenous manufacturers.

However, long-term success will depend on moving beyond simple procurement towards enduring partnerships between:

• Government
• Armed forces
• Industry
• Research institutions

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Conclusion

Modern warfare increasingly favours mass-produced, low-cost, rapidly adaptable drones over a sole reliance on expensive conventional platforms. While India’s $2 billion drone procurement initiative is a major step toward self-reliance, the real challenge lies in ensuring that these systems remain effective in a rapidly changing technological environment. Therefore, India must transition from a model of one-time drone purchases to long-term drone partnerships, emphasising continuous upgrades, innovation, and sustained operational capability.