The Department of Defence Production’s hall at the India International Trade Fair in New Delhi this year aptly demonstrates the country’s accelerating defence manufacturing capabilities.

Among its most striking sections is the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) display, which presents a comprehensive panorama of India’s missile ecosystem—from short‑range tactical interceptors to long‑range precision weapons and UAV‑borne munitions.

In another section of the stand, visitors encounter an array of compact smart munitions designed for drone deployment. These include the ULPGM (Ultra Light Precision‑Guided Munition) and the JISHNU series of guided bombs and missiles.

Their presence signals India’s concerted shift toward integrating aerial robotics with precision strike technologies. UAV‑compatible weapons such as these significantly enhance the Indian armed forces’ capacity for high‑accuracy, low‑signature operations in contested environments.


The Jishnu drone-delivered missile represents India’s growing expertise in precision-guided miniature munitions. Developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Jishnu is a lightweight, compact and high-speed strike system designed for deployment from tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

It was officially unveiled during Aero India 2023 as part of India’s emerging portfolio of smart aerial weapons and loitering systems.

Weighing notably less than conventional short-range munitions, Jishnu is optimised for soft-skinned targets such as unarmoured vehicles, radar stations, or surface installations.

The system’s 1.5-kilometre effective range and flight time of just nine seconds make it a fast-reacting point-attack capability suited to urban or close-support operations. Its short flight profile implies a high-speed delivery phase with minimal exposure to countermeasures, enhancing the survivability of both the drone and weapon.

The missile offers two operational configurations—semi-autonomous and fully autonomous. In the semi-autonomous mode, the targeting input originates from the operator through a secure data link, ensuring control in complex rules-of-engagement environments.

In the fully autonomous setup, the system can execute engagement functions independently using pre-fed target parameters and onboard processors, enabling beyond-line-of-sight strikes without continuous operator supervision.

Jishnu’s propulsion system and miniaturised guidance package reflect significant advances in India’s micro-missile engineering. The design leverages compact guidance electronics and a lightweight warhead optimised for precision rather than blast yield. Integration with medium-to-large multi-role UAVs allows the host platform to deliver rapid follow-up strikes or conduct silent elimination of pinpoint threats.

The unveiling of Jishnu at Aero India 2023 signals BDL’s strategic move into next-generation drone-armament segments, complementing indigenous developments such as the DRDO-SWITCH/UAV weaponisation efforts. It also aligns with the broader Defence Ministry’s focus on distributed lethality—equipping smaller drones with smart, low-collateral payloads to counter asymmetric threats.

As part of India’s growing defence-industrial ecosystem, Jishnu highlights how traditional missile firms like BDL are evolving into smart munition developers.

Its successful field integration will potentially support export opportunities under India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, extending the nation’s presence in the tactical precision-strike market across miniaturised weapon categories.