Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Indian Navy Eyes 1,000-Km Strike Drones To Counter Threats
The Indian Navy wants new flying weapons called drones.
These drones can fly very far, up to 1,000 kilometres.
They are launched from ships at sea.
The Navy wants them to protect warships and attack targets on land.
This plan came after drone attacks in the Red Sea made navies around the world worry.
The drones can stay in the air for nine hours, waiting for a target.
They can dive very fast and hit what they aim at with amazing precision.
They even keep working if satellites are blocked or tricked.
One sailor can control up to ten drones from one console.
The drones must be built in India so the country keeps the technology at home.
The Indian Navy has issued a formal requirement for ship-launched loitering munitions with a 1,000-kilometre range to counter asymmetric threats and strike coastal targets.
The move follows recent drone strikes in the Red Sea that forced global navies to rethink fleet defence and strike capabilities.
The munitions must loiter for nine hours, dive at speeds exceeding 200 knots, and deliver precision strikes with a circular error probable of less than one metre.
The drones must operate without degradation even when satellite navigation signals are spoofed or denied, and one ship-based operator can manage up to 10 munitions at once.
The Ministry of Defence plans to acquire the systems under the Buy Indian-IDDM or Buy Indian categories to keep intellectual property and manufacturing domestic.
- Who
- The Indian Navy and India's Ministry of Defence
- What
- Seeking ship-launched loitering munitions with a 1,000-kilometre range for independent offensive drone capability and precision strikes
- When
- Requirement issued as of August 12, 2026
- Where
- India, with operations envisioned across the Indian Ocean Region and against coastal and inland targets
- Why
- Recent drone strikes in the Red Sea and the need to counter asymmetric threats while remaining out of range of shore-based missiles
- Navy
- Indian Navy
- Required range
- 1,000 kilometres
- Loiter time
- 9 hours
- Dive speed
- Exceeding 200 knots
- Accuracy
- Circular error probable less than 1 metre
- Seekers
- Electro-optical and infrared
- Acquisition route
- Buy Indian-IDDM or Buy Indian
- Announced
- August 12, 2026