India's Plan for Homegrown Military Drones Stumbles as Companies Look Abroad

India's ambitious plan to develop its own advanced military drones is facing unexpected hurdles. The Ministry of Defence's (MoD) efforts to boost domestic production through a private-sector partnership model appear to be stalling as some Indian companies show a preference for collaborating with foreign manufacturers.

The MoD's drive to involve the private sector follows setbacks in the state-run Tapas drone program, which suffered from delays and technical limitations. Seeking fresh solutions, the MoD proposed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) model to tap into private sector expertise and speed up the development of High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

However, initial enthusiasm for the program seems to be waning. Industry sources suggest the MoD's proposal hasn't sparked significant interest among Indian private companies. Instead, some companies seem focused on partnerships with international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Possible reasons for this preference remain unclear. The complexity of HALE UAV development may make Indian firms hesitant without established partnerships, seeking the expertise and resources of experienced foreign companies. Tata, for example, seeks to convert a German business jet into a drone platform, while Adani Defence reportedly eyes an Israeli drone design as a base.

This reliance on foreign collaboration casts doubt on the MoD's vision of a truly indigenous HALE UAV program. While partnerships can offer benefits, they raise concerns about long-term dependency on foreign technology and potential limitations on knowledge transfer.

India's efforts to create a robust domestic drone industry hit a snag, highlighting the challenges in fostering self-reliance in advanced military technologies. To make the SPV model a success, the MoD may need to find further incentives for Indian companies to invest in homegrown research and development, even while carefully considering the benefits of select foreign partnerships.

 

[Akshat]

Have you looked at the other drones that have been tested in India and performed far below their advertised performance in Indian conditions?

Then imagine where will DRDO’s drone’s actual performance lie when army tests them. DRDO is anyways known to inflate and lie about the performance.

 

[beencensured]

It is a matter of shame for DRDO to unable to finish HALE UAV.

I wonder if it even started the Hale project.

 

[beencensured]

Currently the government are working on the Archer NG which will be able to meet the technology and capability requirements. This will also be a armed drone which is best as it can be used for surveillance and to hit targets so its best if they focus on this drone project in a partnership with the government and private sector using both talent, technology and collaboration. After that then they should allow the private sector to manufacture the drone as they can achieve it in a much better, economical and quicker way.

The TAPAS drone project failed in one area only which was meeting its high altitude target of a minimum of 30000ft. Other than that the rest of the technology and capabilities like SIGINT, COMINT, SATCOM, EW, ESM, surveillance, tracking, thermal and night vision, laser designator, landing gear, engine, operating station etc was working perfectly. A lot of that technology will be used on the upcoming Archer NG which will cut down on technology and development time and capability.

There are companies like new space who is developing haps and etc., but you will never get cronies to take risk or invest. So, government should help these risk taking companies who are willing to develop and make them competitive, then cronies whom just want to buy technology and get commission.

 

[Akshat]

These projects like AMCA, IMRH and HALE drone are committed. After investing so much in R&D there is no way the armed forces would not acquire them.

Remember Kaveri? Remember Arjun? Remember Tapas? Remember ATAGS (where army has reduced orders to 300 and is looking for alternatives)? Armed forces won't induct something in big numbers if the quality is bad. So the only way out is to throw DRDO out and give full funding and control to the private company.

 

[Sridhar]

You simply will have companies either manufacturing the whole thing here or simply won't apply to the tender.

That will be the reality.

 

[Akshat]

Then imagine where will DRDO’s drone’s actual performance lie when army tests them. DRDO is anyways known to inflate and lie about the performance.

There is nothing to imagine. The military conducted the tests in Indian conditions so there is really nothing to hide lies.

 

[War is good for business]

Remember Kaveri? Remember Arjun? Remember Tapas? Remember ATAGS (where army has reduced orders to 300 and is looking for alternatives)? Armed forces won't induct something in big numbers if the quality is bad. So the only way out is to throw DRDO out and give full funding and control to the private company.

Navy is still pursuing the TAPAS as the lower than projected performance does not affect over water performance as much as it would affect over mountain performance. How big a deal you need for Artillery, 300 is a large number. Further improvements can be sought in later batches. Arjun was inducted but the fact that it literally cannot be physically used elsewhere other than the Thar means there is no point in buying big numbers. Kaveri was projected to be ready in 10-12 years by DRDO but by the time funding was cut and the project delinked from the Tejas, it had met its dry thrust requirements but the afterburner was not yet capable enough like F404. Yet the total investment in the development of Kaveri is still a miniscule amount compared to other comparable engines across the world. Is DRDO inefficient? Yes. The private players on the otherhand want mere assembly for short term profits.
Is it a prudent business decision Yes. Is it helpful for the local defence industry? NO

 

[Akshat]

Navy is still pursuing the TAPAS as the lower than projected performance does not affect over water performance as much as it would affect over mountain performance. How big a deal you need for Artillery, 300 is a large number. Further improvements can be sought in later batches. Arjun was inducted but the fact that it literally cannot be physically used elsewhere other than the Thar means there is no point in buying big numbers. Kaveri was projected to be ready in 10-12 years by DRDO but by the time funding was cut and the project delinked from the Tejas, it had met its dry thrust requirements but the afterburner was not yet capable enough like F404. Yet the total investment in the development of Kaveri is still a miniscule amount compared to other comparable engines across the world. Is DRDO inefficient? Yes. The private players on the otherhand want mere assembly for short term profits.
Is it a prudent business decision Yes. Is it helpful for the local defence industry? NO

First, that's speculative news. Second, the news article you are referring to says that Navy is interested, if the specs can be achieved. So the teething issue remains.

The original number was 400, with over 1500 to be procured in total. Now that number has been slashed to just 300, with a new gun being procured. As for ATAGS itself, no amount of improvements will work as for the current batch, new trucks are being bought so entirely new infra is being created. That means this current gun will see only these orders as Army has already started looking at new guns.

Exactly my point with Arjun. A useless gun not good for anything and hence rejected. Same for Kaveri. Even the dry thrust requirements were met after Safran came in, was way too late and no one but DRDO has said it has met any requirements at all. So the project is an utter collosal failure. As for investment, it was literally a blank check. Money was sanctioned as per DRDO's demands and in fact unspent money was leftover. This shows that no amount of money would have made a difference.

As for private players. It depends. DRDO is one entity. But private players are not. There is an entire gamut. Look at the FICV and light tank. GoI is giving money, so L&T is partnering for development. Some are partnering with foreign players. Same for FICV.

So don't club private players as one. They offer different approaches and GoI can choose as per the requirements what they wanna do. If GoI is ready to provide funding, throw an open tender between DPSUs and all private players and they can prioritize IDDM. If GoI is not ready to provide funding and no one can invest that much, go for local assembly. That's the beauty of open competition.

 

[kumar]

We just cannot afford to screwdriver again. If anybody wants defence orders, they better develop and own the IP. If the private sector cannot stepin then psu will have to step in. SPV is good as long as it works, if it doesn't, we cannot waste time waiting.

 

[Akshat]

There is nothing to imagine. The military conducted the tests in Indian conditions so there is really nothing to hide lies.

Nope. Military didn’t conduct any tests. User trials never happened. These are numbers given by the developer, the DRDO. And DRDO has been officially attested to spread lies as per the auditor itself.

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Indian private players want easy way out , they will buy from outside and they just manufacturing here. As outside systems are all working systems across many countries, their will no chance of failure . But its one type of import only where you re just assembly here.
Private industries are fearful about HAL ability , they know if this indigenous drone don't live up to the expectation of Indian forces, then they will not give orders and their investments will become zero.
HAL will survive with failures as its a government backed entity but what about private players.
Problem here is that If government gives some incentive to private players like TATA, ADANI , then some people will say government is giving money to Ambani Adani...all these sorts of thing...
Government players like HAL are not ablet to deliver and private players are not getting empowerment due to fear of politics.
Its messy situation here for India.

Forget UAV , Tejas mk1A is win for India & DPSUs , knowing that AMCA & IMRH will be also follow the steps of Tejas program , private sector companies are not joining SPV .

Government is giving funds for developments of prototypes , still they are not interested...

What else they want , sometimes you do less paid paid jobs in the initial phase of your career to gain expertise, and then with that knowledge you reach heights...

But major Pvt sectors companies aren't interested ( Not all private sector companies others are doing great jobs )

 

[Tanishq Bafila]

Put conditions for 100 percent indigenous manufacturing in steps will solve the issue of knowledge

No company will giving 100% TOT , even 100% indigenous takes years of active production line & orders...

Rather than asking for 100% indigenous manufacturing put a condition that after that batch you have improve indigenous content & improve the performance the next batch on your own , otherwise face penalty

 

[Anant]

These projects like AMCA, IMRH and HALE drone are committed. After investing so much in R&D there is no way the armed forces would not acquire them.

The Armed Forces will acquire them, no doubt. However, are we anywhere near an order size or order timeline? Private players need to be given a proper RoI. If you order double the aircraft twenty years from now as opposed to if you ordered them today, that may still be a worse deal.

 

[Pink Panther]

Adani is behind this.

Adani can only copy (Screw Drive) foreign drones, who won’t invest on research.

 

[AK S]

There is nothing to imagine. The military conducted the tests in Indian conditions so there is really nothing to hide lies.

Tapas performed much better than rebadtched Drishti in payload and endurance and most likely the new benchmark of forces will change accordingly. Unfortunately Tapas was mired in controversy on account of inter-departmental rivalry. Ultimately program was sabotaged quite a bit and no longer receives fund under mission-mode. You don’t need enemies.

Navy will induct, Let’s see

 

[Akshat]

Tapas performed much better than rebadtched Drishti in payload and endurance and most likely the new benchmark of forces will change accordingly. Unfortunately Tapas was mired in controversy on account of inter-departmental rivalry. Ultimately program was sabotaged quite a bit and no longer receives fund under mission-mode. You don’t need enemies.

Navy will induct, Let’s see

Tapas performed much better…according to whom? Who conducted any user trials?