BEL Indigenous Laser Weapon: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is now looking at overseas markets for an Indian-made laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) developed with support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The move comes at a time when countries are looking for cheaper and faster ways to deal with the growing threat from drones.
Drones have become a major problem for military bases, important buildings and other sensitive areas. Small unmanned aircraft can be bought at a much lower price than traditional missiles. This has created a need for defence systems that can stop such threats without using an expensive interceptor every time.
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BEL already produces the DRDO-developed D4 Counter-Drone System. The system combines radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors, radio-frequency detection and jamming, GPS jamming or spoofing, and a laser-based Directed Energy Weapon for hard-kill action. BEL says the system can search for, detect, track and neutralise micro and small drones in real time.
How India’s Laser Weapon Can Stop Drones
The basic idea behind a laser weapon is quite simple. Instead of firing a missile or another physical projectile at a drone, the system sends a powerful laser beam towards the target.
The beam can stay focused on the drone and heat or damage important parts of it. This can destroy the target without using a missile. Since there is no missile to launch for every engagement, the system can offer a different cost model for repeated attacks, as long as the system has enough electrical power and the conditions allow the laser to work.
India has been developing different levels of laser-based DEW technology. DRDO has worked on systems using lasers from around 2 kW to 10 kW for counter-drone missions. DRDO records have also described work on a 30 kW Directed Energy Weapon intended to engage aerial targets.
More recently, DRDO’s July 2026 newsletter said a 30 kW DEW from its Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences in Hyderabad was demonstrated as part of an integrated counter-drone setup. That system was combined with detection and tracking technologies including radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors, radio-frequency systems and direction-finding equipment.
This is important because a laser cannot simply be pointed at the sky and fired. The system first needs to find the drone. It then has to track the moving target and keep the laser accurately aimed at it. That is why modern counter-drone systems use several sensors and a command-and-control setup together.
Why is BEL Looking at Foreign Buyers?
The growing international interest in counter-drone weapons is linked to how quickly drone warfare has changed. Small drones and loitering weapons are now being used in much larger numbers in conflicts. This means traditional air-defence systems can sometimes become expensive when they are used against low-cost targets.
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A missile may successfully destroy a drone, but using a costly interceptor against a cheap unmanned aircraft can create a difficult economic problem when attacks happen again and again. Laser weapons offer another option for certain types of targets because the weapon itself does not need a new missile after every shot.
BEL is already moving deeper into this market. During its latest earnings discussion, the company said it sees strong demand for laser-based and microwave-based directed-energy systems. BEL also said it has already supplied around 80% of the orders received over the last three years for its 2 kW laser-based DEW solution developed jointly with DRDO. The company also said it has started working on customised configurations for export markets.
BEL Export Strategy
BEL’s wider export strategy is also expanding. The company has said it expects exports to become a larger part of its business in the coming years. Its recent focus includes defence electronics, counter-drone systems and directed-energy technologies.
The interest from foreign customers gives BEL a chance to present the Indian system as a lower-cost option for countries that need protection against drones but may not want to depend only on traditional missile-based air defence.
BEL is also looking at a flexible approach rather than treating the laser weapon as one fixed product. Different countries have different needs. One customer may need a compact system that can protect a military base. Another may want a vehicle-mounted version for mobile operations. A third customer may need stronger sensors or a different power level.
