India constructing joint counter-drone grid beneath Mission Sudarshan Chakra to spice up air defence

As a part of a push to modernise India’s air defence community in opposition to hostile and rogue drones, the Indian armed forces are creating a joint Counter Unmanned Aerial Methods (CUAS) grid that can combine anti-drone capabilities throughout all three providers, defence officers stated.

The proposed CUAS grid will operate individually from current air defence networks such because the Built-in Air Command and Management System (IACCS), which officers stated can be overburdened if tasked with monitoring small drones alongside typical aerial threats. As an alternative, the brand new grid will likely be linked to the Joint Air Defence Centres (JADCs) of the Military, Navy and Air Drive and can function as a everlasting, devoted counter-drone community.

Officers stated the grid will combine the massive variety of counter-drone methods acquired by the three providers over the previous 5 to 6 years, enabling real-time monitoring and sooner responses to low-altitude and unmanned aerial threats.

The transfer follows operational classes from Operation Sindoor, throughout which the Pakistan Military tried to focus on Indian civilian and army installations utilizing drones of Turkish and Chinese language origin. These assaults had been successfully neutralised, notably by the Military Air Defence items, with L-70 and ZU-23 weapons inflicting important injury on small drones.

The Indian Military is now additionally engaged on deploying air defence weapons in populated areas to guard civilian centres from potential drone and aerial assaults.

At a broader stage, the counter-drone grid types a part of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, a nationwide initiative to construct a complete protect in opposition to aerial threats. The mission was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi throughout his Independence Day deal with from the Purple Fort in 2025.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, throughout a current go to to the Defence Analysis and Growth Organisation (DRDO) headquarters on its 68th anniversary, stated the organisation would play an important position in implementing the initiative. He stated DRDO had been tasked with equipping important installations with air defence methods to make sure complete aerial safety over the subsequent decade, underscoring the significance of air defence demonstrated throughout Operation Sindoor.

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