Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) #GeneralAnilChauhan confirmed on Wednesday that none of the drones or loitering munitions deployed by #Pakistan during #OperationSindoor caused any harm to Indian military assets or civilian infrastructure.
“A large number of these drones were neutralised using a combination of #kinetic and #nonkinetic methods, and many were recovered nearly intact,” said the CDS while delivering the keynote address at a key defence workshop held at the # Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
Call for Self-Reliance in UAV and C-UAS Tech
Speaking at the day-long workshop on ‘Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS’, General Chauhan said that Operation Sindoor had underscored the urgent need for homegrown unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS (C-UAS) platforms that are designed to perform in India’s unique terrain and threat environment.
“We cannot afford dependence on foreign niche technologies when it comes to critical components for our #UAV and #CUAS capabilities,” he warned. “Imported systems limit our production scalability, reduce long-term preparedness, and create critical spares shortages that undermine mission availability.”
Strategic Workshop Charts Path for Indigenisation
Organised by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ-IDS) in partnership with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, the event brought together top military leadership, defence scientists, industry stakeholders, and policy planners to chart out a strategic roadmap toward #Indigenisation of key drone and anti-drone components currently sourced from foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
According to the Defence Ministry, the workshop was convened in direct response to the lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor, highlighting the rising importance of tactical drone warfare and the need for locally manufactured solutions.
Drones Changing the Battlefield
General Chauhan pointed to recent global conflicts as clear examples of how low-cost unmanned platforms can disproportionately shift tactical outcomes. He emphasised #asymmetricwarfare—especially through drones—is challenging traditional military doctrine and placing large, high-value platforms at greater risk.
“Militaries across the world are being forced to rethink their #airdoctrines, invest heavily in counter-drone technologies, and develop more adaptive engagement tactics,” he said.
Indigenous Tech Is No Longer Optional—It’s Strategic
The CDS stressed that self-reliance in UAS and C-UAS technologies is not just an industrial goal but a strategic imperative for India’s long-term security.
“We need platforms that are designed, built, and sustained within our ecosystem. Indigenous development enables both strategic autonomy and tactical flexibility in rapidly evolving theatres of warfare.”