CDS Emphasises on Indigenisation of Unmanned & Counter-Unmanned Tech

In his keynote address after inaugurating a Workshop and Exhibition on Indigenisation of Critical Components in UAV and C-UAS at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi on July 16, Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan said, “Operation Sindoor demonstrated the operational effectiveness and strategic value of indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) & Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS),” while underscoring the strategic urgency of achieving full-spectrum indigenisation of these platforms and their counter-measures.

General Chauhan stressed that reliance on imported niche technologies weakens India’s long-term readiness, limits scalability, and creates vulnerabilities in sustained operations. He underlined that “Operation Sindoor showcased why indigenously developed counter-UAS systems, tailored for our terrain and missions, are indispensable. There cannot be dependence on foreign technologies for our offensive and defensive capabilities, when the same can be designed, built, and innovated at home, so that we can safeguard secrets, reduce costs, and retain the initiative.”

Highlighting the evolving character of warfare, General Anil Chauhan noted that drone warfare is revolutionising the battlefield, demanding new doctrines, capabilities, and countermeasures. He described drones as highly disruptive, urging military planners to move beyond conventional thinking.

The CDS detailed the need for a comprehensive counter-UAS grid integrating radars, sensors, jammers, and directed energy weapons. He stressed that such networks must be supported by robust command and control systems and inter-agency coordination, especially in contested lower airspace.

Calling for urgent reforms in defence innovation, General Anil Chauhan proposed the following priority areas:

Increased investment in defence R&D for next-generation unmanned systems;

Modular and upgradable system architecture;

Creation of dedicated test beds for startups and DRDO;

Advancement of stealth UAVs and MUM-T (Manned-Unmanned Teaming);

Long-term vision for swarm drones, drone carriers, AI integration, and directed energy weapons.

The workshop and exhibition was organised by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, in collaboration with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. The deliberations were framed around the strategic goal of reducing dependency on foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers and producing a roadmap for self-reliance in critical UAV subcomponents. Participants included representatives from the armed forces, DRDO, academia, industry, and policy circles.

The day-long event featured technical sessions, live demonstrations, and an industry exhibition, providing stakeholders with an opportunity to interact, exchange knowledge and showcase emerging indigenous solutions.

In his closing address, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit summarised the key takeaways from the workshop and reiterated India’s unwavering commitment to Aatmanirbharta in defence. He stated that the workshop’s insights will feed into a strategic policy document aimed at accelerating indigenisation efforts in UAV and counter-UAS technologies.