Drishti 10 Starliner Drone Crash:Adani Defence and Aerospace’s Drishti 10 Starliner drone crashed off the Porbandar coast in Gujarat during its acceptance trials before the Indian Navy could receive it. The manufacturer conducted the trial and later recovered the drone.
This drone is a significant achievement, as it is 70% indigenous, with an endurance of 36 hours and the capability to carry a 450 kg payload. Each unit costs around ₹145 crore. The Drishti 10 Starliner is already in service with the navy, which inducted one last year, while both the navy and the army had earlier ordered two drones each to improve intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
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The Drishti 10 Starliner, developed by Adani Defence in collaboration with Israeli company Elbit Systems, is based on Elbit’s Hermes 900 Starliner drone. It is the first major defence platform from Adani to be delivered to the Indian military.
The drone can also be weaponized if needed. The crash follows a similar incident four months ago when an MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone, leased by the Indian Navy from the US, fell into the Bay of Bengal due to a technical issue during a surveillance mission.
India has been strengthening its defence and surveillance capabilities in response to challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), especially with China’s growing influence in the area, according to ThePrint. The Indian Navy had leased two MQ-9B drones from the US four years ago and recently signed a $3.5 billion deal to acquire 31 MQ-9B drones, further boosting its maritime preparedness.
In other developments, the Indian Navy is set to induct three major platforms into service at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. These include the Vaghsheer submarine, the Surat destroyer, and the Nilgiri frigate, all built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. This marks a significant step in the navy’s indigenisation efforts and its goal of becoming self-reliant by 2047, with 60 warships currently under construction across Indian shipyards.
The navy is finalizing deals with France for 26 Rafale-M fighter jets and three more Scorpene-class submarines, further enhancing its combat capabilities. These advancements highlight India’s focus on strengthening its maritime posture and defending the rules-based international order.
