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

As part of a five-day exercise, Vayu Samanvay, conducted at the Naraingarh Field Firing Ranges near Ambala, formations from Western Command and South-Western Command carried out both offensive and defensive manoeuvres using various types of drones and counter-drone systems.

“Drones have been integrated into every arm and service of the Army, including the delivery of supplies in high-altitude areas. Operation Sindoor provided several lessons in drone operations, and these are now being implemented and refined for tactical employment. There is increased focus on the fabrication of drones, their local development, and training of troops in operating them,” Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, said.

He said 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 kms 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 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.