Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said recent conflicts globally have demonstrated how drones can "shift tactical balance disproportionately", and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) is a "strategic imperative" for India.
In his address at an event held at Manekshaw Centre here, Gen Chauhan also said Operation Sindoor has shown why indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and C-UAS "built for our terrain and our needs are crucial".
A day-long workshop on 'Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS' is being hosted by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQ-IDS), in collaboration with the think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies.
The event comes against the backdrop of recent India-Pakistan hostilities, including Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the strategic importance and operational effectiveness of UAVs and C-UAS, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), in his keynote address at the inaugural session, said drones are proof of reality, and their widespread utility in recent conflicts demonstrates how drones can shift tactical balance disproportionately to their size or price.
"Asymmetric drone warfare is making large platforms vulnerable and driving militaries to rethink the conceptual aspects of air doctrines, development of C-UAS and adaptive moves of engagement," he said.
The CDS also said that during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan used unarmed drones and loiter munitions on May 10. But "none of them could actually inflict any damage to Indian military or civilian infrastructure", he said.
"Most of them were neutralised through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means. Some of them could be recovered in almost intact conditions," Gen Chauhan said.
The CDS emphasised that Operation Sindoor has "shown us as to why indigenously developed UAS, C-UAS built for our terrain and our needs are crucial".
Underlying the ethos of Atmanirbharta, Gen Chauhan asserted that "we cannot rely on imported niche technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions".
"Dependence on foreign technologies weakens our preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production, results in a shortfall of critical spares for sustenance and round-the-clock availability," he added.
Military leaders, defence experts, scientists, policymakers and private industry representatives have gathered here for the event, seeking to develop a "strategic roadmap" for indigenisation, with an overarching aim to reduce dependency on foreign companies for critical UAV and C-UAS components.
"In the rapidly evolving landscape of non-contact warfare, UAVs have emerged as a transformative force. For a nation like India, self-reliance in UAVs and C-UAS technologies is not only a strategic imperative, but it is also about empowering India to chart its destiny, safeguard its interests and seize the opportunities of the future," the CDS wrote in his message for the workshop.