Indian Navy Drones: The Indian Navy has started looking for new special drones that can be used as flying targets. These drones will not come back after use. They are made to be destroyed during training.
The Ministry of Defence has sent out a request for information for something called the Expendable Aerial Target Next Generation, or EAT NG. According to defense news site Bharat Shakti, this system is meant to copy the way modern sea-skimming missiles move. Sea-skimming missiles fly very low over the water and move very fast, which makes them hard to stop. The navy wants these drones to act just like those dangerous missiles during practice drills.
Unlike reusable target drones that land safely and are used again, these new drones are built to be shot down. This makes training feel more like real combat. Sailors can test their guns and surface-to-air missiles in situations that feel almost real.
Indian Navy’s Indigenous 30mm Naval Gun: Features, Capabilities, and Strategic Importance Explained
This plan also shows India’s strong focus on making defense equipment inside the country. The ministry has asked companies if they can supply the system under the Buy Indian-IDDM category. This rule needs more than 50% indigenous content. There is also the Buy Indian route which needs over 60% local content. These rules follow the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 and are meant to increase self-reliance.
What Drone the Navy is Seeking?
The navy has given clear details about what it wants.
- It should fly at a speed of at least 300 meters per second, which is about 984 feet per second.
- It has to fly very low.
- At times it should be able to move just five meters above sea level, which is about 16 feet. Flying this low makes it more difficult to detect and destroy.
- The drone should stay in the air for up to 60 minutes.
- It must also be able to make strong turns up to 2G. This helps it behave like a real missile trying to avoid being shot down.
- It should be controlled by a person on the ground, but it should also be able to fly fully on its own.
- The control range should go up to 100 kilometers, which is about 62 miles.
- One ground control station should also handle many drones at the same time.
- For launch, the drone should be able to take off with rocket assistance from ships or from land bases. If needed, there should be a way to recover it after it falls into the sea.
- To check how well sailors perform, the drone must carry an acoustic miss-distance indicator. This tool records how close a naval gun or missile came to hitting it.
- The drone should also have a low radar cross-section so it is harder to detect.
- its radar signature should be changeable for different training needs.
India’s Plan for Drone Power
This new target drone plan is just one part of India’s larger drone upgrade program. The country is working hard to improve both unmanned systems and counter-drone defenses.
Indian Navy Commissions ASW Warship Anjadip to Strengthen Coastal Security
Private companies in India are also becoming more active in drone technology. At Aero India 2025, Adani Defence & Aerospace and the DRDO together showed a vehicle-mounted counter-drone system.
In 2025 the investment in drone production inside India also grew stronger. JSW Group and Shield AI announced plans to set up a manufacturing facility in Hyderabad. This will help produce more advanced unmanned systems locally.
