Drones To Become Standard Weaponry In Indian Army, Will Soon Be Provided At Battalion Level: Report

The Indian Army is undertaking a major overhaul by integrating drones and counter-drone systems as standard weaponry at the battalion level, reported The Indian Express.

This shift follows Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam terror attack in May, and aims to modernise force structures for future warfare.

Army units, including infantry, armoured, and artillery regiments, will now have dedicated personnel operating UAVs, rather than using them as secondary tools. Each arm will develop structures for training and assigning select soldiers to drone operations. Infantry battalions will receive surveillance drones at the platoon and company levels, involving reassignment of nearly 70 personnel per unit.

The Army will raise 30 Bhairav light commando battalions, each with 250 personnel trained for specialised missions under various commands. Initial units are expected to become operational within a month.

Additionally, the Army plans to form Rudra brigades, which will function as independent, integrated brigades combining arms, UAVs, and logistics. These will replace current structures and adapt to conventional and hybrid warfare.

In artillery regiments, two larger gun batteries and a third drone battery are being planned. The Army is also creating Divyastra batteries, featuring long-range guns, loitering munitions, and anti-drone systems.

Reconnaissance platoons in armoured and mechanised infantry will include surveillance and strike drones. The Army may reconfigure squadrons to incorporate drone-based units. Engineer regiments will receive drone sections for mine detection and mapping, while the EME Corps will boost drone repair capacity.

These upgrades aim to standardise drone procurement, enabling sustained supply chains instead of emergency purchases.

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