Detailed studies are under way to identify critical components and capabilities that must be developed domestically to enable independent drone manufacturing and ensure industry can scale up production when required.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has set a deadline to build an independent drone manufacturing ecosystem. Addressing industry recently, he said India should become a global hub for indigenous drone production by 2030.
Sources said a detailed roadmap is being drawn up with defined timelines. A key focus is ensuring domestic availability of critical components such as electronics, engines, batteries and moulds. The plan also envisages Indian companies holding intellectual property rights across the manufacturing process to support rapid scaling of output.
The push comes amid conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, where drones and counter-drone systems have become central to air defence and strike operations. The Indian military is expanding its UAV inventory – from surveillance platforms to loitering munitions – but much of the current fleet still depends on imported subsystems vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions.
Sources said global supply chains remain heavily dependent on China for key components, while alternative suppliers are facing constraints due to rising demand. The aim is to reduce reliance not only on China but also on Europe, Israel and the US, as supplies from these regions could be affected by global or regional conflicts.
Past security incidents, including the hijacking of a drone using Chinese-origin software, have accelerated efforts to develop indigenous solutions. The Army has introduced a new evaluation system for induction of drones, including scrutiny of all components for their place of origin and rigorous software testing. Existing programmes are being aligned with the 2030 target, with additional production-linked incentives likely for domestic industry and further curbs on component imports.
The new Defence Acquisition Procedure, set to be implemented by next month, has been modified to give higher weightage to Indian companies.
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