Autonomous Warfare in Operation Sindoor
Context:
India’s first full-scale drone-led military operation post-Pahalgam terror attack, May 2025
Relevance:
GS Paper III – Security / Defence Technology
Background:
- Operation Sindoor was launched in May 2025 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
- Marked South Asia’s first instance of full-spectrum autonomous drone warfare between two nuclear-armed states (India & Pakistan).
- Characterized by below-threshold conflict using drones, loitering munitions, and autonomous aerial platforms.
Indian Drone Warfare Capabilities:
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR):
- Israeli Heron MK-II and Indian TAPAS-BH-201 (Rustom-II) UAVs for pre-strike recon.
- Detected thermal signatures, signal intel from terror camps across the border.
Aerial Systems Deployed:
| Category | Systems Used |
| Loitering Munitions | Nagastra-1 (Indigenous), Harop (Israeli-origin) |
| Swarm Drones | DRDO + Private Sector Collaboration (Radar saturation) |
| ISR Platforms | Heron MK-II, TAPAS-BH-201/Rustom-II |
| Tactical Systems | Quadcopters, Micro-UAVs integrated with IBMS |
Strike Strategy:
- Phase 1: Electronic warfare drones + decoys to provoke and exhaust air defences.
- Phase 2: Followed by armed UAVs and loitering munitions for precision strikes.
- Highlight: Harop drone destroyed Chinese HQ-9 SAM near Lahore; created panic during a cricket match in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan’s Response: Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos (“Wall of Lead”)
| Category | Systems Used |
| ISR Drones | Shahpar-II, Bayraktar TB2, Wing Loong II |
| Armed UAVs | Burraq, CH-4 |
| Loitering Munitions | CH-901, WS-43 (Chinese-origin), indigenous kamikaze drones |
- Attack span: Kashmir to Bhuj (1,500 km)
- Focused on Indian radars, forward bases, and IAF command centers
- Outcome: Indian air defence systems neutralised most attacks, minimal damage
India’s Multi-Layered Air Defence System:
Command & Control:
- IACCS: Integrates radar, AWACS, satellite data for rapid, resilient response
- Used Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) — lasers/microwaves
Tactical & Ground-Level:
- Akashteer System: Coordinates Army Air Defence (AAD) sensor-to-shooter operations
- LLAD Systems: Pechora, OSA-AK, ZSU-23-4 Shilka, Bofors L/70, etc.
- Sniper teams integrated with BSF for low-altitude drone threats
Missile Defence Arsenal:
| System | Role |
| SPYDER | Point defence (Python-5, Derby) |
| Akash / Akash-NG | Medium-range SAM |
| Barak-8 | Indo-Israeli long-range SAM |
| S-400 ‘Triumf’ | Strategic SAM from Russia (3/5 units delivered) |
Strategic Implications:
- New Model of Deterrence: Low-cost, algorithm-driven, autonomous combat
- No Manpower Risk: First large-scale operation using unmanned platforms
- Changing Warfare Doctrine:
- War no longer starts with troop mobilization.
- Begins with pre-programmed aerial drone incursions
- Emphasis on AI, ISR, EW, and real-time data integration
Conclusion:
Operation Sindoor is a watershed moment in India’s defence history. It highlights the future of combat — one that is remote, autonomous, precise, and strategically disruptive.
