IAF chief calls for faster development, induction of indigenous drone technologies

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh on Thursday (July 30, 2026) called for faster development and induction of indigenous drone technologies and other critical defence systems, warning that delays in adopting new technologies could leave the country at a disadvantage in future conflicts.

Addressing a workshop on unmanned and counter-drone systems organised by the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) in New Delhi, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief stressed that innovations must move swiftly from laboratories to the battlefield.

“Technology delayed is technology denied,” Air Chief Marshal Singh said, emphasising that technological breakthroughs lose their strategic value if they were fielded only after other countries already advanced.

He also urged certification agencies to expedite testing and approvals to ensure timely induction of new capabilities into the armed forces.

Calls for self-reliance

Making a strong pitch for self-reliance, the Air Chief Marshal said India should develop every critical component of drone systems domestically instead of relying on imports.

“Every brick has to be made in India. Actually every brick should be developed in India, then only we can say we are fully Atmanirbhar,” he said, cautioning that dependence on foreign suppliers could become a vulnerability if critical components were withheld during emergencies.

Highlighting the changing character of warfare, the IAF chief said drones were becoming increasingly important but could not replace fighter aircraft because of their limited payload capacity and relatively high failure rates. As a result, unmanned systems would need to be deployed in large numbers to achieve operational objectives.

He also underlined the importance of integrating drones with manned aircraft, noting that both would increasingly operate in the same airspace. Better coordination, situational awareness and airspace management, he said, would be essential to avoid operational conflicts.

The IAF chief revealed that discussions were underway with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other government agencies to develop a mechanism to distinguish authorised drones from rogue ones, preventing friendly unmanned platforms from being mistakenly engaged during operations.

Calling defence technology development a shared national responsibility, Air Chief Marshal Singh urged the armed forces, industry, researchers, academia, regulators, investors and government agencies to adopt a “whole-of-nation approach” to build safe, scalable and operationally effective unmanned and counter-drone capabilities while strengthening India’s long-term defence preparedness.