EW hardening, drone simulation and crores in budget: How India is building a massive drone army for future warfare

As the focus shifts towards drones, the Indian Army has unveiled its Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Loitering Munitions (LMs).

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Post the May 2025  Pakistan conflict, India has been enhancing its focus on strike drones and loitering munitions. Months after Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army conducted a large-scale Drone and Counter-Drone Exercise, 'VAYU SAMANVAY-II', in the forward areas of the Desert Sector under the aegis of Southern Command. The exercise was designed to validate the Indian Army's preparedness for next-generation warfare by integrating various aerial & ground assets and the fusion of multi-domain command & control centres, in a realistic, Electronic warfare and contested operational environment. While the army was carrying out a drone warfare exercise, the Government was pushing for an ecosystem to make drones the first line of attack and defence for the armed forces.

Budgetary Allocation 

For FY 2026–27, the budgetary allocation under the capital head to the Defence Forces was over Rs 2.19 lakh Crore, which is 21.84% more than the Budget Estimates of FY 2025-26. “Out of Rs 2.19 lakh crore, Rs 1.85 lakh crore has been earmarked for capital acquisition, representing an increase of approximately 24% over FY 2025–26. The forthcoming Capital Acquisition projects will equip the Armed Forces with next-generation fighter aircraft, advanced weapons, ships and submarines, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Drones etc,” said the Ministry of Defence in a statement earlier this year.

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Focus on Drone Designs

As the focus shifts towards drones, the Indian Army, in partnership with the Drone Federation India (DFI), unveiled its Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Loitering Munitions (LMs).  The launch comes amid a decisive shift in the character of warfare, where recent global conflicts have firmly established unmanned systems as force multipliers across surveillance, precision strike, logistics, and air defence. As drones compress decision cycles and expand operational reach, militaries worldwide are reorienting their capabilities. Recognising this shift, the Indian Army has taken a strategic step to clearly articulate its long-term requirements and enable early alignment with the domestic ecosystem.

Presented by the Army Design Bureau, the roadmap provides unprecedented visibility across 30 drone and loitering munition types spanning five operational categories, including surveillance, strike, logistics, air defence, and specialised roles. It serves as a critical blueprint for India's defence innovation and indigenisation journey.

"Recent conflicts have clearly demonstrated the central role of unmanned systems in modern warfare. This roadmap reflects the Indian Army's commitment to building future-ready capabilities through structured engagement with industry and innovation ecosystems. By clearly articulating our requirements, we aim to enable focused development and timely induction of critical technologies,” said Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS) said Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, AVSM, VSM, DCOAS (CD&S).

Smit Shah, President, Drone Federation India, said, "This roadmap is a pivotal step in aligning India's drone ecosystem with the operational needs of the Indian Army. It provides long-term visibility, allowing industry, startups, and academia to invest with clarity and confidence. More importantly, it strengthens India's ability to develop indigenous unmanned capabilities that are globally competitive and operationally relevant.”

EW Hardening, Jamming-free Operations

The Indian Drones are being designed in a way that it poses inbuilt Electronic Warfare hardening, said Shah, sharing that modern battlefields are saturated with electronic interference and any drone that relies on GPS, radio links, or data transmission is inherently vulnerable. 

Electronic Warfare (EW) hardening refers to a set of design measures that protect drones from electronic attacks such as jamming, spoofing, and signal interception. EW hardening ensures that drones can continue to operate, navigate, and complete missions even in contested electromagnetic environments.

Why EW hardening matters

Recent conflicts, especially the Russia–Ukraine War, have made one thing very clear. Electronic warfare is now one of the most decisive factors on the battlefield. In many cases, it can disable drones faster than traditional weapons. Low-cost drones, in particular, often fail quickly when exposed to jamming. Their biggest weakness lies in their dependence on GPS and communication links, which are easy targets.

Because of this, survivability is no longer just about stealth or armour. It now depends heavily on how well a system can operate in a contested electromagnetic environment.

“Drones today face several key threats. GPS jamming is one of the most common. It blocks satellite signals and causes the drone to lose its ability to navigate. GPS spoofing is more deceptive. It feeds false coordinates, which can mislead the drone or even cause it to be captured. Then there is command link jamming, which breaks the connection between the drone and its operator. Signal interception is another risk, allowing adversaries to listen in or study the drone’s data,” said DFI chief Smit Shah.

To counter these threats, modern systems rely on what is known as electronic warfare hardening. This is not a single feature, but a layered approach. Drones are now equipped with anti-jamming navigation systems that combine multiple satellite networks with inertial backups. They can switch frequencies rapidly to avoid interference. Their communication links are encrypted to prevent interception or takeover. Many are also designed to operate autonomously if contact is lost. Some even use signals that are harder to detect, reducing the chances of being targeted.

All of this has a direct impact on operations. Drones with strong electronic resilience can continue their missions even in heavily contested environments and India is betting big on this. They are capable of deep strike and intelligence missions despite active jamming. They also reduce the need for constant human control, making them more flexible and dependable. In contrast, drones without such protection are usually limited to safer environments or very short missions.

Drone warfare and military strategies

This shift is changing how militaries think about drone warfare. Electronic warfare resilience is no longer seen as an advanced feature. It is becoming a basic requirement. In modern doctrine, a drone without it is often treated as expendable. A hardened drone, on the other hand, is considered fit for real combat.

As a result, countries are investing heavily in both offensive and defensive capabilities. They are building systems to disable enemy drones while also strengthening their own.

The future of drone warfare will not be decided by numbers alone. It will depend on which drones can survive and operate in a contested electromagnetic space. In the end, electronic warfare hardening is what separates a drone that simply flies from one that can truly fight.