India Aims for Boost in Military Drone Production with New Defence Strategy

India is set to enhance its military drone manufacturing capabilities as Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh announces new initiatives. The government aims to reduce the defence procurement cycle to two years and will introduce a revised Defence Acquisition Procedure by 2025 to bolster domestic production and technology transfer.

In a strategic move to enhance India's military capabilities, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasized the importance of escalating domestic production of military-grade drones. Singh highlighted that while India possesses a robust ecosystem for civilian drones, there is a need to rapidly develop manufacturing capacity for military applications.

Singh noted the unique challenge posed by the monopsony nature of defence procurement, where the government is the sole buyer, urging the use of this buying power to expand and support the military-grade drone industry. He mentioned the critical need for technology transfer to empower domestic manufacturers.

The Defence Secretary outlined plans to expedite procurement processes by introducing a streamlined Defence Acquisition Procedure 2025, replacing the cumbersome 2020 edition. This strategic overhaul aims to cut down procurement time to a maximum of two years, facilitating faster integration of cutting-edge technology into India's defence portfolio.

(With inputs from agencies.)