How drones are the new face of warfare?

The Hindu: Published on 10th June 2025:

Why in News? 

Drones have emerged as the centerpiece of modern warfare, seen prominently in India’s Operation Sindoor, Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web, and various global conflicts. These incidents signal a strategic shift in military doctrines, where Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are now frontline weapons rather than support tools.

Background:

Early drone use was mostly for surveillance and reconnaissance.

The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War was a turning point, with Azerbaijan using Israeli-made Harop kamikaze drones to decimate Armenian air defences.

The Russia-Ukraine war and Myanmar conflicts further underscored how cheap, commercially available drones or even 3D-printed drones can play strategic roles.

India, China, and Pakistan have all significantly expanded their drone fleets, both for defense and offense.

Key Issues:

Strategic Shift: Drones are blurring the lines between military-grade and commercial technology, becoming multipliers in asymmetric warfare.

Vulnerability: Drones are susceptible to electronic warfare, jamming, and air defences, making counter-innovation essential.

Supply Chain Challenge: Mass production is needed, yet India’s defence industry lacks surge capacity due to erratic procurement.

Civilian Risk: The ease of weaponising commercial drones poses a threat to civilian and strategic infrastructure, needing a whole-of-government response.

Recent Developments:

India’s Operation Sindoor used drones in a standoff strategy, marking a doctrinal shift.

Ukraine showcased the strategic impact of low-cost, AI-enabled UAVs capable of penetrating deep into enemy lines.

China and Pakistan have formed collaborative drone programmes, increasing pressure on India.

Russia’s drone saturation strategy exposed the vulnerabilities of high-end air defences.

Strategic Implications for India:

Military doctrine: India is integrating drones into offensive operations — a break from their earlier limited use.

Defence preparedness: India must develop resilience through modular and scalable production, especially in the face of possible two-front conflicts.

Industrial capacity: A robust defence industrial base is essential. Current procurement bottlenecks discourage mass production.

Security ecosystem: Beyond defence, internal security agencies must also prepare for drone-based threats from non-state actors.

Challenges:

Building affordable and redundant drone fleets.

Developing multi-layered counter-drone systems.

Balancing innovation with affordability.

Ensuring inter-agency coordination in drone threat management.

Way Forward:

• Institutional support for domestic drone R&D and production.
• Accelerate the adoption of 3D printing and modular design for faster deployment.
• Promote AI integration for autonomous navigation and evasion.
• Involve private sector in defence manufacturing.
• Expand counter-drone training and deployment across paramilitary and internal security forces.