The biz of drone power: Startups, traditional giants fuel India's arsenal

As many as 550 drone companies have come up in India in 5 years. More than 100 companies are in the defence sector. Drone market revenue is expected be worth $11 billion by FY30

Whether it’s the fight between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine, or the military conflict between India and Pakistan last week, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles have proved crucial for gaining strategic objectives.

 

India’s Operation Sindoor against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan showed its capability in drone warfare. SkyStriker, a suicide drone made by a company in Bengaluru in partnership with an Israeli firm, and Harop, a kind of Israel-made “loitering munition”, made headlines. India has built its drone arsenal through global tieups and policy reforms like a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and an import