Army's 'eagle in the arm' concept takes flight, to enhance combat edge

Indian Army has accelerated induction of drones and counter-drone systems. A new concept called ‘eagle in the arm’ has started and it aims to train every soldier on using a drone, just like he is taught the use a weapon.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi today visited one such facility — a drone lab — at Likabali in Siang District Arunachal Pradesh where drones have been inducted and soldiers are being trained.

Officials said the Army’s plan is to make a soldier capable of operating a drone, just as he carries his own weapon.

Depending on the task of the unit, drones will be employed for combat, surveillance, logistics, or even medical evacuation.

Counter-drone measures are also being inducted in parallel, creating a layered system to neutralise enemy unmanned platforms.

To meet this task of training everyone, drone centres have been established at premier training academies such as the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Infantry School in Mhow, and Officers Training Academy in Chennai. The move is aimed at embedding drone operations as a standard capability for soldiers across all arms of the Army, officials said.

The Army has done a dual thrust — that is arming soldiers with drones while strengthening counter-drone defences. That drones are no longer niche but ‘essential elements of the battlefield’, was visible during operation Sindoor with Pakistan (May 7-10).

By institutionalising training, operationalising more drone units, and by aligning force structures to use drones, the Indian Army is ensuring that the “soldier of tomorrow” will carry a drone that extends his vision, reach, and power on the battlefield.

In July this year, Gen Dwivedi in his speech at the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations at Drass had announced that every infantry battalion will have a drone platoon, artillery regiments will be equipped with counter-drone systems and loiter munitions.

These drone-dedicated units are named ‘Divyastra’ batteries—these will be infantry battalions that would be equipped with drones and carry indigenous air defence systems – the Army has a layered air defence system that showed it prowess in Operation Sindoor.