The Indian Air Force has formally embarked on a landmark program to co-develop long-range Kamikaze drones with Indian industry, marking a decisive shift from its traditional procurement model.
The initiative, centred at Sulur in Tamil Nadu, will create a fully indigenous ecosystem for design, production, and sustainment of one-way attack drones, with strict exclusion of Chinese-origin components.

The IAF currently operates the Israeli-origin Harop system, but the new project represents a departure from reliance on foreign suppliers.

On 12 June, the service issued a limited tender enquiry to select Indian firms, stipulating that the drones must be indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured under the Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) category.

The 5 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at Sulur, Coimbatore, has been designated as the nodal agency for the program.

Unlike the usual practice where the IAF defines operational requirements and leaves industry to deliver, this project involves direct participation by the Air Force in development. The IAF intends to retain ownership of intellectual property rights, ensuring flexibility for future modifications, upgrades, and scaling up of production. This approach also allows the BRD to establish a long-term capability for sustaining future generations of attack drones.

In military terminology, kamikaze drones are referred to as “one-way attack unmanned aerial systems”. These platforms are launched to strike designated targets and are not intended to return.

The IAF has specified that the drone must be fixed-wing, capable of operating at altitudes up to 16,000 feet, and functional in both day and night conditions. It must carry a payload of at least 30 kg, with modular and swappable options to accommodate munitions, airborne data relay systems, or sensors depending on mission requirements.

The weapon system will be jointly developed by the IAF and industry partners, with preference given to local suppliers in line with the government’s Make in India initiative. The Air Force has explicitly mandated that the drone must be free of any Chinese-origin technology, components, or materials, reflecting broader national security concerns.

The joint development effort will cover the airframe and other critical systems and subsystems. The airframe must withstand operational loads during launch, cruise, manoeuvring, and mission execution. An autopilot system is envisaged, capable of fully autonomous operations including launch, waypoint navigation, loitering, mission execution, and return-to-base functionality where applicable.

Additionally, the IAF has sought a complete maintenance ecosystem. This includes support for the drone’s flight controller, associated hardware and software, version management, and an indigenised supply chain established at the user’s premises. The drone is expected to be launched from a static platform, with the launcher designed to provide consistent performance and enable rapid deployment in field conditions.

Recent reports confirm that the IAF is also planning to establish a dedicated drone development and production facility at Sulur. This infrastructure will support airframe manufacturing, avionics integration, propulsion testing, datalink development, and payload integration.

The initiative includes the development of two operational prototypes and aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem capable of supporting future drone programs.

The operational requirements highlight the drone’s role in engaging high-value battlefield targets such as radar installations, air-defence systems, logistics hubs, and command centres. Lessons from conflicts in Ukraine, West Asia, and the South Caucasus have underscored the effectiveness of loitering munitions, where relatively low-cost drones have neutralised expensive and strategically important assets.

By directly involving itself in the development process, the IAF is signalling its intent to build indigenous capacity in unmanned strike systems, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, and ensure adaptability in future conflicts. This marks a significant milestone in India’s broader defence modernisation and self-reliance drive.

Agencies