During a recent defence forum, former Major General M Indrabalan, now a military technology advisor, highlighted significant vulnerabilities in India's drone capabilities revealed by Operation Sindoor, the country's first major experience with drone warfare.

Operation Sindoor marked a pivotal moment in Indian military history as the country's first large-scale experience with drone warfare, fundamentally altering its approach to precision strikes and asymmetric threats.

Launched in early May 2025 as a direct response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, the operation was meticulously planned to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while simultaneously delivering a strategic blow to Pakistan’s military capabilities.

A defining feature of Operation Sindoor was the deployment of loitering munitions—commonly referred to as kamikaze or suicide drones—by the Indian Air Force. These drones, capable of hovering over target areas and engaging enemy radar and missile sites with high precision, were instrumental in neutralizing key Pakistani airbases at Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan.

The drones operated autonomously or under remote human control, providing real-time surveillance and strike capabilities that enhanced the accuracy and effectiveness of India’s broader missile attacks. In one notable instance, a Chinese-made LY-80 air defence system at Lahore was destroyed using a HARPY Kamikaze drone, underscoring the operational versatility and impact of these unmanned systems.

The operation also served as a real-world testing ground for India’s burgeoning drone start-up ecosystem. Many of the drones deployed were developed by Indian start-ups and had not yet been formally inducted into the armed forces, allowing for valuable combat evaluation and rapid refinement of indigenous systems. This reflected the growing influence of government initiatives like the Drone Rules 2021 and Drone Shakti Mission 2022, which have encouraged public-private partnerships and accelerated innovation in the domestic drone sector.

Despite these advances, Operation Sindoor exposed critical gaps in India’s drone technology stack. According to military experts, while the drones were assembled in India, core systems such as autopilots, navigation, and telemetry modules still relied heavily on foreign technology. This highlighted an urgent need for deeper technological self-reliance, especially when compared to global leaders like China.

Indrabalan noted that the majority of drones deployed in the operation were assembled in India but relied heavily on imported core systems, particularly in their electronic and control components. While domestic companies are making progress, he stressed that the "deep technology"—including autopilot systems, navigation, and telemetry—remains largely non-indigenous.

Operation Sindoor, saw the Indian Air Force use loitering munitions (Kamikaze drones) to strike high-value targets at Pakistani airbases. These drones, capable of hovering and executing precision strikes, exposed critical gaps in India’s drone technology stack.

Indrabalan explained that although airframes and propellers might be produced locally, the essential "brain" of the drone—its autopilot, navigation, and telemetry systems—are still sourced from abroad. He emphasized that India lags significantly behind global leaders like China in these areas and has substantial ground to cover to achieve technological parity.

A major concern raised was the vulnerability stemming from reliance on foreign navigation and transmission systems. Most Indian drones depend on GPS (American) or BeiDou (Chinese) satellite navigation, making them susceptible to spoofing, jamming, and cyberattacks.

While India’s indigenous NavIC navigation system is being integrated to some extent, it is not yet fully available or robust enough for widespread drone deployment.

Indrabalan also pointed out that drone telemetry and transmission modules—key to secure communications—are mostly imported, with the cheapest and most widely used options being of Chinese origin.

This dependence poses security risks, as data transmitted by drones could be intercepted or relayed elsewhere. He urged urgent action to indigenise these critical components, warning that continued reliance on foreign technology could undermine operational security and effectiveness.

Operation Sindoor showcased the growing strategic importance of drones in modern warfare, but also made clear that India’s push for technological self-reliance in defence must accelerate, especially in the domains of electronics, navigation, and secure communications.

Without addressing these gaps, Indian drones will remain exposed to external vulnerabilities in future conflicts.

Based On Business Today Report