In August 2022, the Indian Army inducted Autonomous Surveillance and Armed Drone Swarm (ASAD-S) drones into its mechanised forces to face security challenges with better preparedness. The Armoured Corps of the Indian Army has been undertaking modernisation programme to boost operational readiness of the armed forces deployed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Swarm drones are expected to provide an edge to the Indian Army in meeting the future security challenges at the Northern and Western borders of India. The application of swarm drones, in various recent conflicts across the world, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict, has clearly highlighted the potency of this niche technology. The Indian Army also plans to develop and induct the Integrated Surveillance and Targeting System (ISAT-S) to tackle the problems faced by mechanised forces in irregular terrains.
What are Swarm Drones Systems?
Swarm drones comprise many drones which are controlled from the same station. Swarm drones can carry different payloads in a single mission. The swarming algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) enable these drones to operate autonomously with least human intervention. With AI technology, they easily identify targets.
This system also consists of a surveillance drone and smart munitions launched from vehicle platforms to execute various surveillance tasks and engage armoured fighting vehicle targets beyond the line of sight.
Advantages of Swarm Drone Systems
Following are the advantages of Swarm Drone Systems:
- The swarm drone systems have been developed and supplied to the Indian Army by two Indian start-up companies to meet a key military requirement.
- The swarm drones have been equipped with the capability, on the back of drone technology, to deliver decisive outcomes in military operations.
- They have the capability to identify targets using artificial intelligence (AI)-driven software.
- Swarm drones systems would enable better surveillance support and close survey of areas of interest.
- It has the ability to engage a raft of targets including the enemy artillery, air defence equipment, command and control centres, tanks, infantry combat vehicles and ammunition, humans and fuel dumps.
- The AI-based Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) feature in the swarm drones enables them to automatically recognise the targets and display them on the control station screen. This would minimise the chances of the operator missing any targets, and would also facilitate engagement by a suitable type of weapon platform.
Induction of Light Tanks in the Army
The Army is also planning to induct indigenous light tanks, named ‘Zorawar’, in the next few years in order to sharpen its mountain warfare powers. (The light tank has been named Zorawar after 19th century Dogra dynasty king Gulab Singh’s legendary general, Zorawar Singh.) In this concern, the army has sought the Defence Acquisition Council’s (DAC) Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the light tank project. Expectedly, the light tank prototype development and trials would be conducted in the next three years.
Zorawar has been designed to operate in high altitude areas, and in marginal terrains to the island territories. It would be highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational situation.
Zorawar would also include drone integration, active protection systems, and superior situational awareness. It would be a platform with high power-to-weight ratio and superior firepower, protection, surveillance, and communication capabilities. This project of Zorawar would boost the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign.
Future Modernisation Plans of Indian Army
To boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector, India has taken several measures during the last two to three years. India has been curbing imports and allocating funds for domestic procurement. Along with this, the Indian Army has also undertaken a modernisation programme and has inducted a range of indigenous platforms and ammunition, besides upgrading its Russian-origin existing tanks.
India is in the process of procuring anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) for the main battle tank ‘Arjun’. Development trials for the indigenous ATGM have already been successfully conducted. India also intends to induct Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) in 2030. The FRCV would come along with performance-based logistics, transfer of technology, engineering support package, and other maintenance and training requirements. The FRCV would integrate AI, drones, an active protection system, a high degree of situational awareness, and manned-unmanned teaming capability.
Funds Allocation
For 2022–23, the Government of India has allocated more than Rs 84,598 crores, which is about 68 per cent of the military’s capital acquisition budget for purchasing indigenous weapons and systems. The government has also set aside 25 per cent of the defence research and development budget for private industry, start-ups, and academia.
It is to be noted that while the defence ministry in 2021–22 had allocated 64 per cent of the capital acquisition budget for domestic industry, it was able to overachieve this target by procuring indigenous military purchases for about 65.5 per cent of the capital budget.
Banned Weapons and Systems
The government has imposed a phased ban on the import of 310 different types of weapons and systems. These include lightweight tanks, naval utility helicopters, artillery guns, missiles, destroyers, shipborne cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, light transport aircraft, long-range land-attack cruise missiles, basic trainer aircraft, and multi-barrel rocket launchers, etc.
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