{"id":69486,"date":"2026-03-20T21:57:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T16:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=69486"},"modified":"2026-03-20T22:17:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T16:47:09","slug":"drone-manufacturing-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/20-03-2026\/drone-manufacturing-india","title":{"rendered":"India&#8217;s Push For self-reliance in Drone Manufacturing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Economy\/ Defence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At the National Defence Industries Conclave (2026), Defence Minister of India has emphasised that India must develop a self-reliant drone manufacturing ecosystem to strengthen its defence preparedness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An <strong>unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)<\/strong> or<strong> unmanned aircraft system (UAS), <\/strong>commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with <strong>no human pilot, crew, or passengers on board<\/strong>, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to industry estimates, the global drone market is valued at <strong>over $30 billion in 2025<\/strong> and is projected to reach <strong>$90\u2013100 billion by 2030<\/strong>, driven by rapid adoption of AI, automation, and 5G integration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drone Ecosystem in India:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As of February 2026, India has built a regulated drone ecosystem with <strong>38,500+ registered drones (UIN)<\/strong>, 39,890 DGCA-certified remote pilots, and 244 approved training organisations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drones are Integrated into flagship government schemes in India such as Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas<strong> (SVAMITVA) and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) etc.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"9cd6ea\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-119-1024x639.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-69488\" style=\"--dominant-color: #9cd6ea; aspect-ratio:1.6015729734560729;width:489px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-119-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-119-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-119-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-119.png 1041w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Drones are Central to Modern Warfare<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tactical Superiority: <\/strong>Drones provide high-precision strike capabilities, enabling targeted operations with minimal collateral damage.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They significantly reduce risks to human life by eliminating the need for direct troop engagement in high-risk zones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Surveillance &amp; Intelligence:<\/strong> Drones play a critical role in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations by providing real-time data and situational awareness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Asymmetric Warfare Tool:<\/strong> Drones have emerged as a powerful tool for asymmetric warfare, allowing weaker states and non-state actors to challenge technologically superior adversaries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic Rationale:<\/strong> Achieving self-reliance in drone manufacturing is essential to ensure strategic autonomy and national security, particularly during geopolitical crises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives in Drone Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Drones Rules, 2021<\/strong> provide the necessary regulatory framework for commercial use of drones.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These rules cover various aspects like type certification, registration and operation of drones, airspace restrictions, research, development and testing of drones, training and licensing, offences and penalties etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drone Airspace Map published in 2021,<\/strong> has opened nearly 90% of Indian airspace as a green zone for drones flying up to 400 feet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme<\/strong> provides for an incentive of<strong> Rs 120 crores,<\/strong> spread over three financial years. The PLI rate is <strong>20%<\/strong> of the value addition over three financial years.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drone certification scheme 2022<\/strong>, making it easier to obtain type certificates by drone manufacturers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drone import policy 2022<\/strong>, banning import of foreign drones and freeing up import of drone components.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drone (Amendment) Rules, 2022<\/strong> abolished the requirement of a drone pilot license.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>GST on drones: <\/strong>GST on drones was reduced to a uniform 5% in September 2025. Earlier tax rates of 18% and 28% were removed. This simplified taxation supports wider commercial and personal use of drones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Challenges in Drone Manufacturing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Dependence on Critical Components: <\/strong>India remains dependent on imports for key components such as<strong> semiconductors, high-resolution sensors, and advanced propulsion systems.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Global supply chains are concentrated in a few countries, creating strategic vulnerabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technological Gaps: <\/strong>There exist capability gaps in areas such as:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>AI-driven autonomous navigation systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advanced materials and miniaturisation technologies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Secure communication and anti-jamming systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regulatory Ecosystem: <\/strong>The absence of a fully developed ecosystem for testing, certification, and airspace integration poses challenges to rapid innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The government should promote defence innovation through <strong>funding support, incubation centres, and dedicated defence corridors.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simplification of procurement procedures and faster decision-making are necessary to <strong>attract private investment.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India must invest in <strong>advanced counter-drone systems,<\/strong> including electronic warfare and directed energy weapons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding remarks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The increasing centrality of drones in modern warfare has fundamentally altered the nature of conflict, making technology a decisive factor in military outcomes.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s pursuit of self-reliance in drone manufacturing is therefore not merely an economic objective but a strategic <strong>necessity to ensure national security,<\/strong> technological sovereignty, and long-term defence preparedness in an evolving global security environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/rajnath-singh-cites-global-conflicts-to-urge-self-reliance-in-drone-manufacturing\/article70761598.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> At the National Defence Industries Conclave (2026), Defence Minister of India has emphasised that India must develop a self-reliant drone manufacturing ecosystem to strengthen its defence preparedness. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers on board, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> According to industry estimates, the global drone market is valued at over $30 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $90\u2013100 billion by 2030, driven by rapid adoption of AI, automation, and 5G integration. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> text <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/20-03-2026\/drone-manufacturing-india \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69486"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69491,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69486\/revisions\/69491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}