India's defence drones: Powered by high-end manufacturing tools
Countries such as the US, China, and Turkey have built strong drone ecosystems by aligning defence goals with industrial policies. The US draws on its mature defence-industrial base and ongoing research and defence (R&D). China benefits from State-backed manufacturing clusters and aggressive export initiatives. Turkey advances domestic production through public-private partnerships and international collaboration. These models offer useful lessons for India. To stay competitive in a drone market projected to exceed $50 billion by 2030, India must establish clear policy, scale industrial capacity, and define a cohesive national strategy.
India's drones are evolving beyond passive surveillance tools. In Operation Sindoor, they supported precision strikes and shaped tactical decisions, establishing unmanned systems as central to modern combat. The government responded with emergency procurement, revised defence policies, and increased support for domestic drone makers. These steps indicate a strategic shift. India aims not just to use drones, but to design, build, and sustain them locally.
However, assembling drones addresses only part of the need. Developing effective UAVs demands a strong manufacturing base built on precision engineering, high-performance materials, and a skilled workforce. Key components like propulsion units, airframes, and sensor housings must meet rigorous aerospace standards. Materials such as titanium and Inconel provide necessary durability and heat resistance but are challenging to work with. Manufacturing them requires advanced technologies including five-axis machining, hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing, and electrical discharge machining. Securing the domestic supply chain for UAV components is essential, not just for industry, but for national security. In times of conflict, disruptions in foreign supply could compromise defence operations.
Indian UAV firms are increasingly integrating advanced five-axis CNC machines and hybrid 3D printing tools to meet the demands of defence-grade component manufacturing. This reflects a broader shift in India's precision engineering landscape, demonstrating how access to advanced tools can transform domestic manufacturing.
India plans to invest about $470 million in UAVs over the next 12 to 24 months, almost triple its pre-conflict spending levels. While drone assembly units have expanded, India still imports many of the subsystems and parts. Valued at $654 million in 2024, the Indian drone market is expected to more than double to $1.43 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 17%. In the same period, the number of drones in India is projected to increase from 10,803 units to over 61,000. Behind this growth is a thriving ecosystem of innovators and businesses.
Beyond defence, drones are reshaping civilian sectors such as agriculture, mining, logistics, and emergency response. Their applications in crop monitoring, surveying, and disaster relief increase efficiency and unlock new revenue and job opportunities. By supporting real-time data collection and precise operations, drones can modernise traditional industries and drive rural economic growth. Dual-use capabilities help Indian manufacturers scale more quickly, access wider markets, and support sectors like telecom and public safety, boosting the economic impact of drone technology.
A skilled workforce is essential to realising this potential. Indian MSMEs and startups are innovating in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based navigation and propulsion systems. However, their progress depends on access to advanced tools, reliable financing, and targeted training. Centres of Excellence, industry-academia partnerships, and vocational skilling programmes can help prepare drone engineers, machinists, and technicians. Structured apprenticeships and continued education will keep India's drone manufacturing competitive with global peers.
Closing the capability gap requires collaboration among defence R&D institutions, machine tool manufacturers, and UAV makers. Policymakers must streamline procurement, expand capital access, and incentivise domestic sourcing. Infrastructure such as drone parks, testing corridors, and innovation zones can support scaling efforts. Recent steps like the Drone Directorate and production-linked incentives offer a foundation. India now needs faster and more coordinated execution.
India has a limited but critical window to lead in the global drone economy. To seize this opportunity, the country must prioritise three enablers: Scaling precision manufacturing capabilities, strengthening domestic supply chains for core components, and investing in workforce development through targeted skilling initiatives and technical education. Scaling up precision manufacturing will strengthen defence readiness and contribute to the $5 trillion economy goal. If India sustains its momentum, it can emerge as a global hub for drone production and services. Precision engineering is not just a technical strength. It is the bedrock of strategic autonomy. While drones operate in the skies, national power is built on the ground.
This article is authored by Anuj Budhiraja, vice president, Phillips Additive.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
13 minutes ago
- India Today
Israel will have to make decision, says Trump as Gaza crisis worsens
Amid the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the breakdown of delicate negotiations, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that Israel would have to make a critical decision regarding the ongoing war in Gaza. Speaking to reporters in Scotland, Trump acknowledged the collapse of the ceasefire and hostage-release talks with Hamas had complicated the path ahead."They don't want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision," Trump said of the hostages held by Palestinian militants. However, he declined to reveal his personal view on Israel's next also accused Hamas of stealing food supplies meant for Gaza and selling them, contradicting an internal US government report. According to news agency Reuters, US officials found no proof of theft of humanitarian aid by Hamas. Despite tensions, Trump pledged increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, but also called on other countries, particularly in Europe, to share the responsibility. "We're giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything," Trump said. "If we weren't there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved."Trump seemed frustrated over what he called a lack of gratitude from European nations. "No other country gave anything," he said. "It makes you feel a little bad when you do that, and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much."The president also mentioned discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the CONSIDERS ALTERNATIVE MEASURESThe deadlock over ceasefire and hostage negotiations has hardened positions. Netanyahu said that Israel is considering "alternative" measures to bring home hostages and dismantle Hamas's control of backed Netanyahu, saying, "Hamas really didn't want to make a deal. I think they want to die And it got to be to a point where you're going to have to finish the job." He predicted that Hamas leaders would be "hunted down" following the collapse of CRISIS WORSENS AMID BLOODSHEDThe humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply in the past few months. Gaza's health ministry reported that more than 130 people, including 87 children, have died from malnutrition and hunger since the start of Israel's assault. Over the past 24 hours alone, six new deaths related to starvation have been of starvation and suffering have sparked alarm. Former President Barack Obama condemned the blockade on aid supplies, writing on X, "There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families,' and calling for urgent action 'to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation."advertisementOver 20 Democratic US senators also sent a letter to the Trump administration urging it to end funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation -- a new private aid group -- and to restore support for the UN's aid distribution. The United Nations claims Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 people near GHF's food distribution current bloodshed traces back to October 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli response, Israel's military assault on Gaza has resulted in nearly 60,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry. The assault has displaced the almost entire population of Gaza, devastated infrastructure, and led to a severe hunger crisis.- EndsWith inputs from AgenciesTune InMust Watch
India.com
43 minutes ago
- India.com
No Entry For GM Crops, Says New Delhi; India-US Trade Talks Hit A Sacred Wall
New Delhi: Genetically modified (GM) crops will not be crossing India's borders anytime soon, no matter how urgently the United States knocks. As trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington enter a crucial phase, insiders say one red line is not up for discussion. 'There are things that are not about negotiation. Some things are a matter of principle,' said a senior official close to the development. That principle, sources say, is GM corn and soy. While American negotiators have made agricultural access a central demand, pressing India for a wider entry gate for U.S. farm goods, New Delhi is not blinking, especially on GM imports. Over the years, the issue has mutated from a mere trade disagreement into a symbolic fight over sovereignty, food safety and grassroots politics. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has repeatedly flagged India's restrictions on GM products, calling them 'non-tariff barriers'. But Indian authorities remain unmoved, largely because of the hardline stance taken by domestic groups closely aligned with the ruling establishment. Last month, the message from Sangh affiliates was if America insists on forcing GM crops into the Indian market, there may be no trade deal at all. Carried in Business Standard, that warning echoed the sentiments of influential groups such as the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), which have long opposed agricultural concessions to Washington, particularly in sectors like dairy and GM crops. Their argument? Food security. The BKS has often warned that allowing U.S. crops into India, especially without clear labelling or transparency, could sabotage domestic farming ecosystems and compromise health safety standards. On the other hand, the SJM sees this as a direct attack on economic self-reliance. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. U.S. officials have privately hinted at the urgency of the moment, pointing to a deadline set by President Donald Trump, who is seeking a revival of his trade agenda. Trump has marked August 1 as a red-letter day. If no interim deal is inked by then, India could be hit with reciprocal tariffs, potentially as high as 26 percent. Indian trade negotiators are not indifferent to that pressure. But according to officials involved in the process, the sixth round of talks will only happen in the second half of August after Trump's deadline expires. Any hope for a short-term resolution seems, at best, unrealistic. As one official put it, 'We are not looking at compromise in areas that touch the lives of millions.' In other words, GM corn is off the table. And perhaps, so is the deal, at least for now.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
RRU helps set tune in martial music's Indian homecoming
1 2 3 Ahmedabad: The next time you see the armed forces on a parade ground, chances are high that you might hear 'Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja,' the anthem of the Indian National Army, instead of 'Colonel Bogey March' from 1914. Marking a cultural shift, the armed forces bands in 2022 embraced 'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo' during the Beating Retreat ceremony at Kartavya Path instead of the traditional 'Abide with Me'. Aiming to take the initiative further is the newly inaugurated School of NCC and Police Martial Music Band (SNPMMB) at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU). At the RRU school, officials aim to train the state police and central armed police forces (CAPFs) in newly created Indian tunes and compose new ones to 'Indianize martial music. ' This is the first such school in a university setting in the country. Until now, bands in uniformed services were traditionally trained at special colleges and training schools. Senior RRU officials say the inspiration is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to make the music of India 'not merely entertainment, but a vehicle for expression, connection, and identity'. The initiatives started in 2016 with the use of Indian tunes on major occasions, they added. Major (Retd) Ashok Kumar, principal of the school and former director of music at the Joint Services Training Institute, AEC Training College & Centre, Pachmarhi — which trains musicians for the armed forces — says that military bands are traditionally taught tunes that have been part of military tradition for over a century. "We have over 200 such tunes which are used for different functions and ceremonies. In the past decade or so, Indian experts have been creating several notations and tunes that are rooted in our culture. Our aim would be to both create new tunes for the bands of CAPF and police forces and to teach the newly created Indian tunes to these bands," says Major Kumar. Some examples of such tunes include 'Veer Bharat' and 'Amar Senani', composed by Indian military musicians. These are now played regularly at various state and armed forces events. 'INS Vikrant,' 'Veer Bharat,' 'Desh Pukare,' 'Vayu Shakti,' 'Hindustan,' and 'Priyadarshini' are some more examples that reflect a rich Indian voice. Renjith G, senior instructor at SNPMMB, says the school is attempting to go a step further and create Indian raga and taal-based music in a global musical language. "Our initiative is to create original Indian tunes rooted in the country's rich musical heritage and legacy," he adds. Dr Gaurav Singh Kushwah, in-charge director of the school, calls Indianizing martial music tradition in India a major initiative. "Our aim is to teach Indian tunes primarily to CAPF and state police bands. We aim to provide trained musicians to security forces who will learn the Indian tunes and notations," he says. The first batch of 40 musicians from Rajasthan Police Central Band is already being trained at the university. RRU officials say that the courses are designed both for in-service musicians and aspiring candidates at multiple levels – from diploma to PhD. Students will be taught Indian and Western musical systems, orchestration, band drill protocols, ceremonial etiquette, and theoretical training. The first initiative for the overhaul will be the formation of the National Music Classification Forum that will attempt to find Indian alternatives for Western bugle calls like Reveille, Last Post, and Retreat.
