Indian Army to create dedicated drone force for future warfare

India Dec 25, 2025

The Indian Army is gearing up to launch its own drone units, bringing unmanned tech into the heart of its operations.
Training for this next-gen force is rolling out at 19 top military academies, including the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.

Thousands of drones and homegrown tech incoming

The plan? Each corps could get between 8,000 and 10,000 tactical drones, with a big push for made-in-India systems like the Nagastra-1 and advanced long-range models.
Government programs are backing startups and manufacturers to make these drones smarter and more autonomous.

Prepping every soldier for a drone-powered future

To stay ahead, the army's also investing in anti-drone gear like DRDO's laser interceptors.
The goal is ambitious: by 2027, every soldier will know basic drone ops—thanks to VR simulators and new unit-level drone squads.