India is looking to fast-track the project for acquiring 87 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to further enhance its surveillance capabilities both over sea and land borders.
India To Fastrack Rs 20000 Crore 87 MALE Drone Project
At a time when Operation Sindoor against Pakistan is still ongoing, India is looking to fast-track the project for acquiring 87 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to further enhance its surveillance capabilities both over sea and land borders. A tri-service proposal of around Rs 20,000 crore, with the IAF in the lead, is expected to be discussed by the defence ministry at a high-level meeting soon.
The drones would be required to have more than 60 percent indigenous content, and various major defence players are expected to be part of it. The likely contenders for the programme would include Adani Defence, Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited, Raphe mPhibr, Tata Advanced Systems, Larsen & Toubro, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The drones would be required to be capable of flying for over 30 hours at a stretch at an altitude of over 35,000 feet. The Indian forces would also be getting 32 High Altitude Long Endurance class MQ-9B Predators from the US under a foreign military sales deal. The programme would also provide a major opportunity for the Indian industry to develop a drone production ecosystem.
