Trouble for Pakistan and China as India strikes big deal to make these highly advanced, deadly combat drones, they are..., their features...
New Delhi: After Operation Sindoor, India is preparing to buy state-of-the-art combat drones. For this, the combat drone that India is considering purchasing and incorporating technology from is the V-Bat combat drone, which is manufactured by the American defence company Shield AI. This deal is being done under an emergency purchase of $ 4.5 billion, which has been launched in view of the needs after Operation Sindoor. Although India is far ahead in drone technology, but here the need is for combat drones, in which the Indian companies are currently short of money. The biggest thing is that if the deal is finalized, then these combat drones will soon be made in India itself, because talks are also going on about technology transfer from Shield AI. What is the deal the Ministry of Defence has made for combat drones?
Mint has recently published a report, according to which the Ministry of Defence is in a deal for combat drones with Shield AI. India is looking to buy V-Bat combat drones from Shield AI for the Indian Air Force (IAF). These drones are for use in war and have shown very good performance so far. Once the deal is finalised, Shield AI will first give the V-Bat combat drone to the Indian Air Force, and then it will be produced in India in a joint venture. There is a plan to produce it in India in a joint venture between JSW Defence and Shield AI. JSW Defence is a company of JSW Group. What is the total amount involved in combat drones deal?
According to the report, this initial deal with the Indian Air Force will be worth $ 35 million, which is the upper limit of emergency purchase. While the joint venture that JSW Defense and Shield AI will set up for technology transfer to manufacture it in India, that deal will be worth $ 90 million. Later, this deal with the Air Force can be expanded further. Why is India so keen to enhance its indigenous combat drones?
If the deal between Shield AI and the Ministry of Defence is finalised, then these drones can come to the Indian Air Force in the first half of 2026. As far as the V-Bat combat drone is concerned, the production of this indigenous drone is expected by the end of 2027. If the American company is ready to set up a joint venture in India in this way in the field of defence, then it can be considered a major achievement in the field of defence manufacturing. Because, after Operation Sindoor, India is feeling a great need to be prepared for contactless war. What are the features of V-Bat Combat Drone?
The speciality of Shield AI's V-Bat combat drone is that it can be used even without GPS. Not only this, it is capable of working even in jammed network systems. This can easily give an edge to those who use these drones in modern warfare. Ukraine has shocked the whole world by using this drone against Russia. These drones can hit targets with such accuracy that the drones being made in India are not as capable as these drones. In India, Idea Forge and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are currently making indigenous drones.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
17 minutes ago
- India.com
‘Deals Working Out Very Well': Trump Talks Sweet About ‘Good Friend' India, Hints At Bitter 25% Tariff
Washington: Inside the humming cabin of Air Force One, President Donald Trump leaned back and spoke to reporters as casually as one might comment on the weather. But his words carried weight, especially for India. With just a couple of days left before an August 1 deadline, he said things between Washington and New Delhi were 'working out very well'. But at the same time warned tariffs as high as 20% to 25% might be on the way. He did not make the comment out of nowhere. A reporter had asked about whispers from New Delhi that India might be bracing for steep new duties. Trump shrugged off the speculation but made his stance clear. 'India has charged basically more tariffs than almost any other country over the years. But now I am in charge. And you just cannot do that,' he said. Though there has been no formal communication to India so far and no signed letter like those sent to other nations, the possibility of new tariffs is very much on the table. Despite the tense undertone, Trump called India 'a good friend'. Back in April, the Trump administration had already slapped a 26% tariff on Indian imports, only to hit the brakes later, describing them as 'reciprocal' measures that could be revisited. On the Indian side, the mood has been more optimistic. Speaking this past Sunday, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India is negotiating from a position of strength. 'India today negotiates from a position of strength, a position of confidence. It is this very confidence that continuously encourages us to make good free trade agreements. Our discussions with the United States are progressing very well,' he said. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri echoed similar confidence during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent trip to the United Kingdom. He told the media that India is in regular touch with U.S. officials on the possibility of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), though those talks are being handled under a separate track. 'We are discussing that under a different vertical. All I can say is that our engagement is underway. The contacts are underway, and we will see how that goes,' Misri said after the India-UK Free Trade Agreement signing ceremony. Back on July 14, a senior Indian official said the government was moving ahead with 'concrete progress' on the BTA with Washington, describing the deal as something both nations are committed to finalising under the leadership of Modi and Trump. India's goal? A win-win deal. 'We are moving in terms of a BTA. We are looking at a mutually beneficial deal,' the official said. But trade was not the only card Trump played in the air that day. He also took a moment to reflect on what he called his role in halting the conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year. The standoff began after the April 22 terror attacks in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. India's response, now widely discussed Operation Sindoor, involved targeted precision strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Trump claimed he had helped broker the peace. 'Look, India, they are my friends and he is (PM Modi) my friend. And you know they ended the war with Pakistan and by request and I was great and Pakistan did also. We did a lot of great settlements,' he said. India, however, had offered a different version of events. According to New Delhi, it was Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations who made the first move and reached out to his Indian counterpart to ask for a ceasefire. Only then did hostilities ease. Whether Trump's version holds up or not, trade and geopolitics are once again tied together, with India and the United States carefully maneuvering, with each step being closely watched. (With ANI inputs)
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Trump remarks on India-U.S. trade deal and hints at 20-25% tariff, again claims credit for ceasefire between India and Pak.
Just days ahead of the self-imposed August 1 deadline date before the tariffs come into effect, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the India-US trade deal was 'working out very well' but hinted at a 20% to 25% tariff on New Delhi. During a gaggle with the press interaction aboard Air Force One on Tuesday (local time), Mr. Trump responded to a report suggesting that India might be preparing for 20 to 25% tariffs, stating that India had been imposing higher tariffs on the U.S. as compared to other countries. He further mentioned that all this would come to an end as he is now 'in charge.' However, Trump hasn't sent any letters to India announcing the tariff imposed on New Delhi, as he did for many other nations. 'India has been a good friend. But India has charged basically more tariffs than almost any other country over the years. But now I'm in charge. And you just can't do that. I think the trade deals are working out very well. Hopefully for everybody, but for the United States, they're very, very good,' the US President said. Earlier on April 22, Trump imposed a tariff of 26% on Indian goods imported to the US, before announcing a pause on those 'reciprocal' levies. Meanwhile, the Union Minister for Commerce, Piyush Goyal, on Sunday, stated that the trade discussion between India and the U.S. had been going 'very well.' 'India today negotiates from a position of strength, a position of confidence. It is this very confidence that continuously encourages us to make good free trade agreements... Our discussions with the United States are progressing very well,' he stated. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during PM Modi's visit to the U.K. last week, also stated that India had been actively engaged in discussions with the US on a potential Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), emphasising the ongoing contacts with partners in the US. During a press conference following the signing of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, Misri stated, 'We are discussing that under a different vertical. All I can say is that our engagement is underway. The contacts are underway, and we'll see how that goes.' On July 14, a senior government official stated that India was making concrete progress toward finalising a BTA with the US, with both countries committed to following the path outlined by their respective leaders. Speaking on the ongoing trade negotiations, the official emphasised that India is 'moving in terms of a BTA' and actively 'looking at a mutually beneficial deal' that would serve the interests of both nations. Trump repeats claim of brokering ceasefire Mr. Trump also used the opportunity to once again claim credit for his role in brokering the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, following the recent conflict in May. The conflict was triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks, which killed 26 people, and India's subsequent response, 'Operation Sindoor,' involving precision strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). He also praised India's leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its role in regional stability. 'Look, India, they're my friends and he's [PM Modi] my friend and you know they ended the war with Pakistan and by request and I was great and Pakistan did also. We did a lot of great settlements,' he said. India had repeatedly refuted the claims made by the U.S. President, noting that it was Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who contacted their Indian counterpart to request an end to hostilities, following which the ceasefire was then agreed upon.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
India's ‘Pralay' Roars To Life: Precision Missile Clears Twin Trials – Here's What Makes It Lethal
New Delhi: The Bay of Bengal echoed with power this week. India's defence scientists fired off two back-to-back tests of the 'Pralay' missile from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island. Monday (July 28) and Tuesday (July 29) marked a milestone. Both launches hit their targets. No deviation. No failure. Officials confirmed it marked the conclusion of Phase-1 trials. The missile flew as expected. All systems, guidance, propulsion and tracking, clicked perfectly. With this, the path stands clear. The Indian military gears up to welcome 'Pralay' into its arsenal in the 'near future'. 'Pralay' is a tactical and fast missile. It runs on solid fuel and flies up to 500 kilometres. It is built for conventional strikes, not nuclear ones. And it does not miss. Engineers gave it top-notch navigation tools. The accuracy? Razor-sharp. Defence experts say it is ready to hit high-value targets deep behind enemy lines. This missile will soon sit inside India's planned Integrated Rocket Force (IRF), a separate structure, which is different from the Strategic Forces Command that manages India's nuclear missiles. In contrast, the IRF is for battlefield punch, which is hard, fast and conventional. A senior officer offered perspective. 'Designed for major conventional strikes with a 1,000-kg payload against enemy targets, 'Pralay' will be an important addition to the armed forces,' he said. Recent wars, including Russia's campaign in Ukraine and India's own Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, have made it clear. Precision and reach decide the winner. After the successful test fires, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, 'The 'Pralay' missile equipped with modern technologies will give further technological boost to the armed forces against threats.' He also congratulated the teams behind the success. These tests were serious evaluations. The military wanted to confirm both ends of the range, maximum and minimum. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) teams, scientists, Army officers, Air Force personnel and even industry engineers observed every second of the missile's flight. Tracking stations captured the data. Sensors mapped every detail. A ship was floated near the impact zone to record the final strike. All signs were green. Every subsystem performed as it was built to. No flaw surfaced. The numbers matched predictions. India is preparing for a future where speed, precision and readiness define the battlefield. 'Pralay' is no longer a prototype. It is nearly operational. And it is deadly accurate.
