India Heron Mk II UAVs: India has decided to buy more Heron Mark II drones from Israel to make its unmanned fleet stronger. Sources from the Israeli defence industry said that India is using emergency rules to get these drones fast after Operation Sindoor. These rules let the armed forces buy full weapon systems worth up to ₹300 crore without going through the long normal process. This helps the forces get important equipment quickly when they need it most.
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Heron Mark II in Operation Sindoor
A source confirmed the move and said, “Following Operation Sindoor, all three services have opted for the Heron Mk II under emergency procurement,” but the source did not share how many drones India is buying. The Army, Navy and Air Force saw how well the Heron Mark II worked during the operation, so they decided to get more of them.
The Heron Mark II can fly for 45 hours without a break. It can climb up to 35,000 feet and it comes with satellite communication. It can take off and land automatically, and it carries strong electro-optical and infrared sensors. This makes it very useful for real-time surveillance and intelligence work, reported The Hindu. The drone can fly at 150 knots and cover more than 1,000 km without refuelling.
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India MALE UAVs
India is also working on a big tri-service plan to buy 87 MALE drones under the Make in India plan. This full project costs more than ₹20,000 crore and the Indian Air Force is leading the work. A Request for Proposal has already been sent to many Indian companies. They can build the drones in India or work with foreign companies to make the platforms.
To support local industry, the order will be divided between two Indian vendors in a 64:36 ratio. At least 60% of the parts must come from inside the country, which will help build a strong local supply chain.
Many foreign companies are taking part through Indian partners. Israeli companies are early leaders in this race. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Elcom Systems have joined with Israel Aerospace Industries. Adani Aerospace and Defence is working with Elbit Systems. Larsen & Toubro has teamed up with General Atomics from the United States to offer drones to the Indian military.
