India’s armed forces used homegrown drone systems during precision strikes in Operation Sindoor.
(Image: File)
New Delhi: During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, India’s armed forces relied extensively on indigenously developed systems, including target drones, marking a significant evolution in the country’s defence preparedness. The large-scale operation, which lasted less than 30 minutes, involved precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure across the border and extensive use of counter-drone measures to neutralise incoming threats.
According to officials, Indian air-defence units intercepted more than 600 Pakistani-origin drones that attempted incursions along the western border during the course of the operation. The Southern Command’s air-defence brigade, working in coordination with the Indian Air Force, destroyed around 70 drones in the Gujarat and Rajasthan sectors, including Turkish-origin Songar armed platforms. “We faced sustained drone and missile pressure throughout the operation, but our systems and training ensured not a single breach,” a senior Border Security Force official posted along the Western frontier told The Sunday Guardian.
This was also confirmed by Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal A.P. Singh, who said that indigenously developed and integrated weapons “delivered precise and devastating blows deep inside enemy territory,” vindicating the IAF’s faith in home-grown capabilities. As per Defence Ministry officials, several indigenous systems—including air-defence networks and counter-drone platforms—were validated during the operation. Among those systems were the Saksham Counter-UAS Grid, developed for real-time detection and neutralisation of hostile drones, and the Nagastra-1 loitering munition, designed by Economic Explosives Ltd in collaboration with DRDO. Last month, the Border Security Force established its first Drone Warfare School in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh, to train personnel in operating and countering unmanned systems.
At the centre of India’s target drone ecosystem is Anadrone Systems, a Bhubaneswar-based defence manufacturer that has emerged as a key supplier of unmanned aerial target platforms. Established in 2004, the company has supplied over 1,000 aerial target drones and conducted more than 250 mission services for the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, DRDO, and defence public sector undertakings. In 2022, Anadrone signed a Rs 96-crore contract with the Indian Army under the Ministry of Defence’s Make-II initiative for the supply of 125 Manoeuvrable Expendable Aerial Targets (MEAT) and associated equipment. The deal was among the first of its kind under the Make-II route for aerial target systems. The company’s product portfolio includes high-speed target drones such as Shikra, designed for runway-independent operation and capable of simulating a range of aerial threats. In 2024, Anadrone secured another contract to supply 100 Shikra drones to the Indian Navy for training and weapon-testing exercises.
“Our focus has always been indigenisation with innovation,” Anant Bhalotia, Founder and CEO of Anadrone Systems Pvt Ltd, told The Sunday Guardian while commenting on the role played by indigenous weapons, including Shikra drones. “By developing systems that are proven and affordable, we are supporting India’s training requirements and contributing to its self-reliance goals.” Anadrone’s production facility in Odisha manufactures drones, launchers, and ground-support equipment, and provides turnkey services, including operations for developmental testing and acceptance trials. Its unmanned platforms have been used by DRDO and the armed forces for target practice, weapon calibration, and live-fire training exercises.
According to officials, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020, India’s defence production reached Rs 1.5 lakh crore in FY2024–25, an 18% increase over the previous year. Defence exports touched Rs 23,622 crore, marking a 12% year-on-year rise, with unmanned systems forming a growing share of those exports. Officials said the experience of Operation Sindoor and the growing use of indigenous systems such as those from Anadrone have underscored the importance of domestic production in critical defence technologies. The integration of Indian-made target drones into live operational settings signals a major shift toward greater technological self-reliance and more realistic combat preparedness.
“In the coming days, we will see more such products and domestic innovators entering the defence market. Operation Sindoor, in a way, has provided the push that Indian manufacturers were looking for,” a senior Army officer who was active on the Western border during the operation said.
