How India is preparing for the next generation of drone warfare

Drones have emerged as one of the most decisive weapons in modern warfare, fundamentally changing how conflicts are fought around the world. From Ukraine to West Asia, unmanned aerial systems have shown that battlefield dominance is no longer determined solely by fighter aircraft, tanks, missiles, or heavy artillery. Instead, affordable, mass-produced drones are increasingly shaping military strategy, intelligence gathering, surveillance, precision strikes, and electronic warfare. The Russia-Ukraine war highlighted the destructive potential of First Person View drones, which have destroyed heavily armoured vehicles worth millions of dollars at a fraction of the cost. Similarly, Iran’s extensive use of Shahed attack…