Defence Technology: Missiles, Drones, and Electronic Warfare
July 19, 2026
Introduction
Defence technology encompasses the systems, equipment, and innovations used for national security and military operations. India has made significant strides in indigenous defence development through the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with major achievements in missile technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and electronic warfare systems. The modern battlefield is increasingly defined by precision strikes, network-centric warfare, and electronic dominance.
Missile Technology
India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)
Launched: 1983 under Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
Objective: Indigenous development of a wide range of missiles.
Ghatak (AURA): Stealth UCAV under development by DRDO, flying wing design.
Swarm Drone System: Successfully tested by DRDO in 2024, 100+ drone swarms for coordinated strikes.
TAPAS-BH (Tactical Aerial Platform for Advanced Surveillance): Being inducted into Indian Armed Forces.
Import Concerns: Over 90% of Indian military drones currently imported (Israel, USA).
Global Trends in Drone Warfare
Russia-Ukraine War: Demonstrated mass-scale use of FPV drones, loitering munitions, and drone swarms.
Nagorno-Karabakh (2020): Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones decimated Armenian armour.
Anti-Drone Systems: Laser-based and RF-jamming systems for counter-UAV operations.
Electronic Warfare (EW)
What is Electronic Warfare?
Electronic Warfare involves the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio, radar, infrared) for offensive and defensive military operations. It is divided into:
Electronic Attack (EA): Jamming, deception, directed energy weapons.
Electronic Protection (EP): Hardening systems against jamming and EMP.
Electronic Support (ES): Signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic surveillance.
India's EW Systems
System
Type
Role
Samyukta
Mobile EW system
Army (communication jamming)
Trinetra
Airborne EW
IAF (radar warning, jamming)
Himshakti
EW system
Army (high-altitude operations)
D-4 Program
Integrated EW
Navy (ship-based)
Indra-2
Radar jammer
IAF (fighter aircraft)
BMD Radars
AESA radars
Ballistic missile defence
India's SDR (Software Defined Radio) Programme
Replacement of legacy analog radios with SDRs for secure, jam-resistant communication.
Developed by: C-DOT and Tata Advanced Systems.
Directed Energy Weapons (DEW)
KALI (Kilo Ampere Linear Injector): DRDO's high-power microwave weapon for anti-missile/anti-drone applications.
Laser DEW: 2 kW laser tested against drones at range of 2 km.
Challenges in Indian Defence Technology
DRDO Efficiency: Time and cost overruns in major projects (e.g., LCA Tejas, Arjun tank).
Import Dependency: India imports ~60% of its defence equipment despite indigenisation pushes.
R&D Spending: Defence R&D at ~0.2% of GDP, far below global leaders.
Private Sector Role: Limited participation due to bureaucratic hurdles, though growing with DAP 2020 reforms.
India's defence technology landscape has evolved from a buyer to a builder, with notable achievements in missiles (Agni, BrahMos), drones (Rustom, Ghatak), and EW systems (Samyukta). However, the pace of indigenisation must accelerate to match threats from China and Pakistan. The iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) scheme and positive indigenisation lists are steps in the right direction.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 3: Defence technology, security challenges
GS Paper 2: Government policies for defence indigenisation