I
ndia’s Operation Sindoor in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack has marked a notable shift in the country’s adoption of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in combat. In combination with standoff weapons, India’s use of UAVs in active combat represents a tactical shift in military doctrine — part of a global playbook. Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web also marks a turning point in how low-cost, improvised unmanned systems can be employed with strategic impact.
The ubiquitous drone is rapidly becoming the weapon of choice serving as a force multiplier to achieve strategic objectives while blurring the distinctions between military-grade and commercial technologies. Building resilience in drone warfare requires India to build modularity and redundancy in mass produced drones, and nurture a responsive defence production base.
