NEW DELHI: When the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved military procurement proposals worth nearly Rs 52,000 crore, the list appeared, at first glance, to be another routine round of acquisitions. But a closer look reveals a clear pattern. Unlike previous procurements centred on expensive fighter aircraft, warships or long-range missile systems, the latest approvals focus overwhelmingly on the weapons most likely to be used in the opening hours of a future conflict.From anti-drone electronic warfare systems and shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles to very short-range air defence systems, kamikaze drones and High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS), almost every platform cleared by the DAC is designed to operate close to the battlefield.
The approvals come barely months after Operation Sindoor, during which India’s air defence network was tested against a combination of drones, missiles and rockets launched from Pakistan. They also arrive as the military continues to prepare for the possibility of a two-front contingency involving Pakistan and China, two nuclear-armed neighbours with rapidly modernising militaries.Officially, the Ministry of Defence has said the acquisitions are aimed at enhancing the operational capability of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Yet taken together, the procurement list also reflects how India’s understanding of modern warfare is changing.The future battlefield, military planners increasingly believe, will not be decided only by fighter jets flying hundreds of kilometres away or ballistic missiles travelling across continents. It will also be determined by hundreds of inexpensive drones, precision-guided missiles, electronic warfare systems, autonomous aircraft and soldiers carrying smarter weapons at the tactical level.
The lessons of Operation Sindoor
If there was one event that accelerated India’s military modernisation in 2026, it was Operation Sindoor.During the operation, Pakistan employed multiple aerial threats simultaneously, ranging from small drones to longer-range weapons, including the Fatah-II ballistic missile. According to the government, India’s layered air defence network intercepted these attacks before they could inflict significant damage on military installations.The operation also witnessed attempts to target India’s strategic assets, including the S-400 air defence system deployed at Adampur Air Force Station. Indian air defence systems reportedly intercepted incoming threats before they reached their targets.Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the conflict was that future wars would not rely on a single weapon.Instead, militaries would increasingly use combinations of drones, loitering munitions, cruise missiles, rockets, electronic jamming systems and cyber attacks to overwhelm an opponent’s defences.Ukraine has already demonstrated this shift. So have conflicts in West Asia.The widespread use of Iranian drones, Russian missile barrages and Israeli precision strikes has shown that the distinction between conventional and asymmetric warfare is disappearing.
Why short-range weapons matter
Large platforms such as aircraft carriers, fighter jets and submarines remain essential to national defence. However, many military analysts argue that the weapons deciding the outcome of future tactical engagements will increasingly be smaller, cheaper and easier to deploy.A soldier equipped with a modern anti-tank missile can destroy a multi-crore armoured vehicle. A swarm of inexpensive drones can force sophisticated air defence systems to expend costly interceptor missiles. Electronic warfare equipment can disable drones without firing a single shot. Portable air defence missiles can deny hostile aircraft the ability to operate freely over the battlefield.This explains why several of the DAC approvals focus on systems operating within tens rather than hundreds of kilometres. Instead of investing only in strategic capabilities, India is also strengthening what military planners often describe as the tactical edge.
Preparing for two very different adversaries
India’s military planning is unique because it must prepare for two entirely different operational environments.Along the western border, Pakistan presents a fast-moving battlefield characterised by armour, artillery, drones and cross-border infiltration.Along the northern frontier, China’s challenge lies in high-altitude warfare, advanced surveillance capabilities, long-range rocket artillery and increasingly sophisticated unmanned systems.Although the terrain differs dramatically, one requirement remains common across both theatres: persistent surveillance, rapid target acquisition and layered protection against aerial threats.That explains why the DAC approvals cover multiple domains simultaneously. The Army will receive systems capable of defending frontline formations against drones, helicopters, tanks and low-flying aircraft. The Air Force will receive long-endurance surveillance platforms capable of remaining above the battlefield for weeks.The Navy will strengthen its ability to monitor maritime approaches using unmanned systems while improving sea denial capabilities. Rather than concentrating on one service, the acquisitions seek to improve coordination across land, sea and air.
The rise of drones has changed warfare
One of the clearest themes emerging from the procurement list is India’s growing emphasis on countering drones.Only a decade ago, drones were largely viewed as intelligence-gathering platforms. Today they perform reconnaissance, electronic warfare, precision strikes, target designation and even kamikaze attacks. Modern conflicts have demonstrated that even relatively inexpensive drones can threaten armoured columns, logistics hubs, ammunition depots and air defence sites.Drone swarms have become particularly challenging because they can overwhelm traditional air defence systems. Destroying a drone costing a few lakh rupees using an interceptor missile worth several crores is neither economical nor sustainable during prolonged conflicts.Consequently, militaries worldwide are increasingly investing in electronic warfare systems capable of disrupting drones rather than physically destroying them. India’s decision to procure the Akash Tarang Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Electronic Warfare System reflects this shift.Instead of relying solely on missiles or guns, the armed forces are building a layered approach where drones can be detected, jammed, intercepted or shot down depending on the threat.
Building the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’
The procurement also aligns with the government’s broader plan to develop an integrated national air defence architecture known as Sudarshan Chakra.Announced after Operation Sindoor, the initiative aims to create a nationwide defensive shield capable of countering everything from ballistic missiles and cruise missiles to drones and loitering munitions. Unlike traditional air defence networks built around a single missile system, Sudarshan Chakra is expected to integrate multiple layers.Long-range systems such as the S-400 will intercept high-value threats hundreds of kilometres away. Medium-range systems will protect operational formations.Short-range missiles and anti-drone systems will defend critical infrastructure, air bases and military formations. Electronic warfare systems will neutralise drones before they can reach their targets. The latest DAC approvals strengthen nearly every one of these layers.Modernisation beyond big-ticket platformsFor decades, India’s defence acquisitions largely revolved around major platforms such as fighter aircraft, artillery guns, tanks and submarines. Those investments continue. However, the latest approvals suggest the armed forces are increasingly investing in technologies that improve survivability, battlefield awareness and tactical flexibility.The focus has shifted from simply acquiring powerful weapons to creating a networked force capable of responding to multiple threats simultaneously.The latest approvals cover nearly every layer of modern warfare. While the systems differ in role and technology, they share one objective: enabling Indian forces to detect, survive and strike first in a fast-moving battlefield where drones, missiles and electronic warfare have become as important as tanks and fighter aircraft.
Akash Tarang: Fighting drones without firing missiles
One of the biggest lessons from recent conflicts is that not every aerial threat should be destroyed with a missile.Modern battlefields are increasingly filled with inexpensive commercial quadcopters, surveillance drones, loitering munitions and swarm drones. Firing expensive interceptor missiles against every drone is neither practical nor economical.That is where the Akash Tarang Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Electronic Warfare System comes in.Unlike conventional air defence systems, Akash Tarang is a soft-kill system. Instead of physically destroying a drone, it jams the radio frequencies and navigation signals that connect the drone to its operator.Once communication is disrupted, the drone may lose control, hover in place, return to its launch point or crash altogether depending on its programming.Electronic warfare systems such as Akash Tarang are expected to become increasingly important because future battlefields are likely to witness hundreds of drones operating simultaneously.The system therefore acts as the first line of defence, preserving more expensive interceptor missiles for larger threats such as aircraft or cruise missiles.
MR-SAM: India’s medium-range shield
The Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) forms the backbone of India’s layered air defence architecture.Jointly developed by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and manufactured in India by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), the missile is based on the Barak-8 family of air defence weapons.With a range exceeding 70 kilometres, the MR-SAM can engage multiple targets simultaneously, including fighter aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.Reports following Operation Sindoor suggested the system also intercepted a Pakistani Fatah-II ballistic missile over Sirsa, underlining its ability to counter complex aerial threats.Unlike short-range systems that protect individual military formations, MR-SAM provides area defence, safeguarding air bases, logistics hubs, command centres and strategic infrastructure.It represents the middle layer of India’s evolving multi-tier air defence network.
V-SHORADS: The last shield before impact
If MR-SAM protects large areas, the Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS) protects the final few kilometres.Often described as the last line of defence, these man-portable missiles are deployed around military camps, ammunition depots, radar stations and other vital assets.Their primary role is to destroy low-flying helicopters, drones, attack aircraft and cruise missiles that manage to evade outer layers of air defence.Unlike older shoulder-fired missiles, the new generation of V-SHORADS uses multi-spectral seekers capable of resisting countermeasures such as flares.This significantly improves the probability of destroying fast-moving targets in contested environments.The system also offers tactical flexibility because it can be rapidly moved with infantry units instead of remaining fixed at one location.
MPATGM: Infantry’s answer to enemy armour
The Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) reflects another important lesson from recent wars.Heavy tanks remain central to land warfare, but they are increasingly vulnerable to precision-guided weapons carried by small infantry teams.Designed and developed by DRDO, the third-generation MPATGM allows soldiers to engage enemy tanks without requiring vehicle-mounted launchers.The missile has a range of around four kilometres and uses a top-attack profile.Instead of striking the heavily armoured front of a tank, it climbs after launch before diving onto the thinner roof armour, which is generally the vehicle’s weakest point.The weapon is particularly useful in mountainous terrain, urban combat and defensive operations where infantry units may encounter enemy armour without support from their own tanks.Its induction will further strengthen India’s anti-armour capability along both the western and northern borders.
Active Protection System: Giving tanks a second chance
Modern tanks face threats not only from enemy tanks but also from anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and loitering munitions.The Active Protection System (APS) seeks to solve this problem. Instead of relying solely on thick armour, APS continuously scans the surroundings using radar and sensors. When an incoming missile or rocket is detected, the system automatically launches a countermeasure that intercepts or destroys the threat before impact.Countries including Israel have demonstrated the effectiveness of such systems in combat. For India, the procurement of APS represents an important shift towards improving battlefield survivability rather than simply increasing armour thickness. As anti-tank weapons become more sophisticated, active protection is increasingly becoming standard equipment for modern armoured forces.
Jet-powered kamikaze drones: Precision strike at lower cost
Loitering munitions, commonly called kamikaze drones, have transformed battlefields from Ukraine to West Asia.These systems combine the surveillance capability of drones with the destructive power of guided missiles. Unlike conventional drones that return after completing their mission, kamikaze drones remain airborne while searching for targets before diving onto them and detonating.The DAC has approved procurement of jet-powered kamikaze drones, indicating an emphasis on longer range, higher speed and greater lethality than propeller-driven variants. These drones can target command posts, artillery positions, radar stations, air defence systems and armoured vehicles without exposing pilots to enemy fire.Compared with cruise missiles, they are significantly cheaper while offering greater flexibility because operators can modify targets even after launch. As militaries increasingly prioritise affordable precision strike capability, loitering munitions are expected to become standard battlefield equipment.
HAPS: Satellites that fly like aircraft
Among the most technologically ambitious approvals is the procurement of Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (FW-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force.Operating at approximately 20 kilometres above sea level, these solar-powered aircraft fly above commercial air traffic and almost all weather systems.Unlike satellites, they can remain focused over one area for weeks. Unlike conventional aircraft, they consume very little fuel and require no continuous crew. A single HAPS can monitor an area with a radius of nearly 500 kilometres, collecting optical, infrared and electronic intelligence while also supporting telecommunications and remote sensing.The aircraft therefore bridges the gap between satellites and manned surveillance platforms. For a military that must monitor long stretches of mountainous borders and maritime approaches simultaneously, persistent surveillance could prove transformational.India has already demonstrated early indigenous capability through DRDO and CSIR-NAL, with a full-scale 20-kilometre flight targeted in the coming years.
Strengthening the Navy’s unmanned future
While much attention has focused on the Army and Air Force, the Navy also received important approvals. The Multi Influence Ground Mine (MIGM) will strengthen India’s sea denial capability by restricting enemy naval movement in critical waters.Unlike older naval mines that respond to a single trigger, modern influence mines can detect changes in magnetic, acoustic and pressure signatures, making them significantly harder to evade.The Navy will also procure the Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS). These ship-launched drones will enhance maritime surveillance, target identification and situational awareness without exposing manned helicopters to unnecessary risk.Finally, the approval for a Land Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion systems represents a long-term investment in future naval platforms. Electric propulsion promises quieter warships, improved fuel efficiency and greater power availability for advanced sensors, directed-energy weapons and next-generation combat systems.
Building an interconnected battlefield
Viewed individually, each of these systems solves a different operational problem. Together, however, they reveal something much larger. India is gradually moving away from platform-centric warfare towards network-centric warfare.Instead of relying on a handful of powerful weapons, future operations will depend on hundreds of interconnected sensors, drones, missiles, electronic warfare systems and surveillance platforms sharing information in real time.That shift may ultimately prove to be the most significant outcome of the Defence Acquisition Council’s latest approvals.
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