Army incorporates lessons from Op Sindoor to strengthen its drone warfare capabilities

Incorporating lessons learnt during Operation Sindoor, the brief military exchange between India and Pakistan in May that saw intense use of drones and missiles, the Army on Monday validated its operational concepts in the tactical employment of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in future war scenarios.

As part of a five-day drill, ‘Exercise Vayu Samanvay’, held at the Naraingarh Field Firing Ranges near Ambala, formations from the Western Command and South-Western Command carried out offensive as well as defensive manoeuvers with various types of drones and counter-drone systems.

“Drones have been integrated into every arm and service of the Army, including delivery of supplies in high altitude areas. Operation Sindoor threw up several lessons pertaining to drone operations and these are being implemented and fine-tuned for a tactical environment. Now there is a lot of focus on the development and fabrication of drones and training of troops in handling such equipment,” Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command said.

Pointing out that some of these systems were used in Operation SIndoor, where Pakistani drones were destroyed, he said that a great deal of emphasis is being laid on drone warfare and strengthening training, because if the next such confrontation happens, the punishment that would be inflicted on the enemy would be much more severe.

The drones used in this exercise were tactical drones fabricated by different units and the local industry, having a range of up to five km and a payload capacity of 5 kg that would be employed by units in the immediate battle space for precision strikes and surveillance.

Stating that the Army also has high-end drones with longer range and higher payload capacity, Lt Gen Katiyar said that the Army would be requiring thousands of drones in the coming years to meet its operational and logistics requirement. The ammunition that these drones would be using is also being fabricated locally.

The Army also employed drones in rescue operations during the recent floods in many parts of North-west India, where they were used instead of helicopters for observation as well as delivering relief material to places that were cut-off.

Officers participating in the exercise said that the two basic aims of the exercise in the light of experiences during Operation Sindoor were how to counter enemy UAS and how to enhance our own offence capability.

Stating that besides the Armed Forces, drones are being used in many other fields, the Army Commander referred to the “drone didi’ scheme, where women in rural areas are being trained to use drones in agriculture and said that they would launch a training programme for such women shortly.

Formations and units from the two Commands played the role of opposing forces from two countries, designated as ‘Suryadesh’ and ‘Chandradesh’, during the drill and demonstrated a simulated drone attack and counter-drone measures using swarms. Drones were used to drop different types of live ordnance including artillery shells and mortar bombs.

The exercise showcased seamless synergy across two major operational theatres and integrated drones, counter-drone systems and unmanned platforms in live conditions, validating our cutting-edge technologies and tactics for future warfare, an official stat5ement said.

It highlights the Indian Army’s ability to adapt, innovate and operate at speed in a dynamic battlespace and reaffirms high standards of training, technological innovation and commitment to safeguarding the nation’s frontiers, it added.