A gathering of who’s who of the Indian Drone Ecosystem took place at the Bharat Drone Manthan 2.0 event hosted by the PHDCCI on March 11, 2025. The primary agenda was fostering Innovation and promoting indigenisation while ensuring Investment and Industry integration as the developing Drone ecosystem contributes towards “Viksit Bharat”. Let us take a brief look at specific key points of interest that came up during the discussions that point towards how the drone ecosystem is likely to evolve and the possibilities of new opportunities opening up and also for accurate risk assessment to avoid possible pitfalls
As a part of the Inaugural session, Dr Manish Pande, Director & Head of the Project Analysis and Documentation Division (PAD Division)-Quality Council of India, indicated a possible issuance of a number of significant changes in Confirmatory Assessment Framework that may impact the Type Certification (TC) assessment criteria of the Drones. The primary focus of the proposed changes is on strengthening the Cybersecurity elements and defining a structured approach to map out indigenisation content. The two main clauses that would be impacted would be Clause 7 & 9.3 of the current TC framework.
Major General SS Mann, AVSM, VSM, ADG, Army Design Bureau shared the end user perspective. He spoke about the Strategic impact of the Tactical success achieved by a Drone on the modern-day battlefield as he remarked, “Drones are Proving to be Battlefield equalisers”. This is also true in the case of an asymmetric warfare situation. The technological element is also moving from a Manned-Unmanned-Teaming (MUM-T) concept to an Unmanned-Unmanned-Teaming (UUM-T) concept. As he specified, the ultimate aim of the ADB is to ensure every soldier has an “Eagle (Drone)” over his shoulder for ISR/Targeting purposes. One key methodology adopted by the Indian Army is to create Drone Incubation Hubs at each formation. The environmental challenges under which the drones in Indian conditions are asked to operate range from Operating and Weather conditions, with temperatures as low as -40 Degrees Celsius, to wind speeds exceeding 30 Knots at high altitude rarefied conditions. General Mann also encouraged everyone to peruse the Compendium of Problem Definition Statements (CPDS) 2025 unveiled at Aero India 2025 and invited the Industry to participate in the SWAYAT experiment (DM for details). The key thrust areas regarding drones include incorporating Counter & “Counter-Counter” Measures, Anti-Jamming & Anti-Spoofing Measures, and Directed Energy Weapon (DEW)- protection measures. However, new challenges have also emerged, including cost, data management, and security challenges. The ideal whole-of-nation approach was recommended by him that could involve building a surge manufacturing & R&D capability through an “Industry-Consortia” approach.
The industry perspective was clearly brought out during the special session Moderated by Air Vice Marshal Rajiva Ranjan (Retd.) with eminent panellists, including Dr. (Smt.) Ranjana Nallamalli, Director, Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management (DFTM), Gp Capt (Dr.) RK Narang, VM (Retd.), Senior Fellow MP-IDSA, Commodore Dr. Arun P Golaya, VSM (Retd.), Former Officer In-charge, Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC), Mr Smit Shah, President- Drone Federation of India (DFI), Mr Pawan Kakkar, MD, Jugapro India Private Limited, Mr Sai Pattabiram, CEO-Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies Private Limited and Mr Vishal Saxena, VP-Sales & BD, IdeaForge Technology. From the discussions, it was evident that several initiatives are being undertaken to promote R&D and develop indigenous capabilities; however, a change in approach is necessary if the often-stated “Potential” of the Indian Drone Ecosystem is to be realised. The bane of the effort till now was revealed to be the NCNC (No Cost No Commitment) element of the procurement procedure adopted by the Defence Forces. There was a fervent pitch from the industry side and the rest to move towards at least “Estimated Demand Signalling” at the minimum, if not “NCFC-No Cost Full Commitment” policy. Another key recommendation by Commodore Golaya was to actively promote Exports and establish a Civil-Military Industrial (CMI) complex. This CMI must have end users and domain experts involved in the entire effort and value chain. The relevant policies must support this effort, and the most desirable policy is the component level certification, where once the component is certified, it need not undergo recertification as a part of a different machine for which fresh TC is necessitated. Mr Smit of DFI pitched in for a confirmed & unambiguous demand signalling by the procurement agencies and establishing a technology roadmap. As a part of the technology roadmap, the users need to issue broad specifications, including tech benchmarks for this purpose, suitably bracketed into three broad categories of: Type -I (Strategic), Type-II (Make-II) and Type-III (High Volume/Bulk) requirements. This would indeed help the Industry plan the requisite effort. Smit also mentioned the importance of incentivising and motivating the indigenisation effort through a tangible and well-defined mechanism. The availability of the common minimum benchmark and the roadmap will promote and enable technology partnership and development of the CMI. Gp Capt Narang, on his part, pitched in to formulate wholly indigenous parameters for testing, verification, certification, and validation procedures and multiple testing sites.
In conclusion, the Bharat Drone Manthan 2.0 event highlighted the critical need for a paradigm shift in India’s drone ecosystem. Moving decisively from a “No Cost No Commitment” (NCNC) regime to a “No Cost Full Commitment” (NCFC) framework, or at the very least, implementing robust “Estimated Demand Signalling,” is paramount. This, coupled with strengthened cybersecurity measures, a clear indigenisation roadmap, and the establishment of a robust Civil-Military Industrial complex with component-level certification, will be pivotal in unlocking the true potential of India’s drone industry. By fostering Innovation, promoting indigenous manufacturing, and ensuring strategic investment, India can solidify its position as a global leader in drone technology, effectively equipping its forces and contributing to a “Viksit Bharat.
