New Delhi: Though hundreds of drones were sent across the border by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, none of them were able to inflict any damage to Indian military or civil infrastructure, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Wednesday. He also said that some of the drones were found intact, implying that they may have not even functioned.
Saying that Pakistan used both unarmed drones and loitering munitions during the conflict, the general said: “Most were neutralised through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means, and some were even recovered in almost intact condition.”
The CDS, who was addressing a workshop, also spoke highly of India’s indigenous weapons systems that played a significant role during the four-day conflict.
“Operation Sindoor has shown us why indigenously developed counter-UAS systems, built for our terrain and our needs, are crucial. We must invent and build to safeguard ourselves,” Gen Chauhan said.
Recent global conflicts have demonstrated how drones can “shift tactical balance disproportionately”, he said while laying emphasis on how self-reliance is India’s “strategic imperative”.
“We cannot rely on imported technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions… Dependence on foreign technologies weakens our preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production, results in a shortfall of critical spares for sustenance and round-the-clock availability,” the CDS said.
“When we design, make and innovate at home, we secure our secrets, cut cost, retain and initiate our scale of production and maintain round-the-clock readiness,” he said during the address.
Several indigenous systems, such as the Akashteer, proved their capabilities during the conflict. Akashteer is India’s fully indigenous, automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, that intercepts and neutralises every inbound projectile.
The vehicle-based system is designed to automate detection, tracking and engagement of enemy aircraft, drones and missiles. It integrates various radar systems, sensors and communication technologies into a single operational framework. Akashteer gathers data from multiple sources, processes it and allows for automated, real-time engagement decisions.