India faces an urgent need to develop a protective system similar to the “Web” structure to safeguard its strategic and critical infrastructure from drone attacks. The growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles in modern warfare and terrorism has exposed vulnerabilities in oil refineries, fuel depots, power substations, and other essential facilities.

These installations are not only vital for national security but also for economic stability, making them prime targets for hostile actors.

Drones have already been used by adversaries to conduct surveillance, deliver explosives, and disrupt operations. India has witnessed incursions along its borders, particularly from Pakistan, where drones have been deployed to drop weapons and narcotics. In addition, global incidents such as the 2019 drone strike on Saudi Aramco’s oil facilities demonstrate how critical energy infrastructure can be crippled by relatively inexpensive aerial systems.

Such attacks highlight the limitations of relying solely on air defence programs, which are designed to intercept missiles and aircraft but may not always be cost-effective or practical against swarms of small drones.

A modular protective system like “Web” would provide a physical shield capable of absorbing direct drone impacts, thereby reducing the risk of catastrophic damage. Unlike missile defence systems, which require constant monitoring and expensive interceptors, a protective barrier offers continuous passive defence.

Its bolt-mounted modular design allows rapid installation without welding, making it adaptable to diverse environments and scalable across multiple sites. The ability to protect structures over 25 metres high and cover large areas ensures that even sprawling refineries and substations can be secured.

India’s strategic infrastructure is increasingly exposed due to its geographic location and the evolving nature of hybrid warfare. Fuel depots, power plants, and communication hubs are critical nodes that adversaries may target to disrupt military operations and civilian life.

Developing a protective program would add a vital layer to India’s defence architecture, complementing radar-based detection, RF jamming, and missile interception systems. It would also align with the country’s push for indigenous innovation under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, ensuring that solutions are tailored to local conditions and produced domestically.

The integration of such protective structures would also strengthen resilience against drone swarms, which are difficult to intercept using conventional air defence. By combining physical barriers with electronic countermeasures, India can create a multi-layered shield that enhances survivability and reduces dependence on costly interceptors.

This approach would not only protect strategic assets but also reassure the public and industry stakeholders that critical infrastructure is secure against emerging threats.

India’s defence planners must recognise that future conflicts will increasingly involve drones and other unmanned systems.

Developing a protective program akin to “Web” is therefore not a luxury but a necessity to ensure that vital installations remain operational even under attack. Such measures will help India maintain energy security, safeguard military readiness, and protect its economic backbone from disruption.

Agencies