Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has ruled out the creation of a separate drone force for the Indian Air Force, saying unmanned systems must remain integrated with the service’s wider combat structure.

Speaking ahead of Air Force Day, Singh said drones did not represent a revolutionary shift for the IAF. Instead, he described their growing employment as an evolutionary development within capabilities that the force has maintained for decades.

The IAF is expanding the number of drones and loitering munitions in its inventory, while also broadening the range of systems available for operational use.

However, Singh said the expansion would take place within the existing force structure rather than through an independent drone arm.

He stressed that drones and loitering munitions must be employed alongside aircraft, conventional weapons and other combat capabilities to generate the intended operational effect.

According to the IAF chief, separating unmanned systems from the wider weapons mix would undermine coordinated operations. He said one class of weapon could not be operated independently in one area while another was employed separately elsewhere.

The IAF’s approach is therefore centred on integrated operations, in which drones, loitering munitions and manned platforms work together under the same operational framework.

Singh’s remarks indicate that the force views unmanned systems as a growing component of air power, rather than as a standalone capability requiring a separate command structure.

ANI