The Indian Army is jacking ups its measures to modernise air defence capabilities amid worries over drone threats, something that has been increasingly being used in global conflicts. The concerns over drones first came to the forefront during the 2019 drone attack on Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil facilities, which rattled the global market and pushed up oil prices. It was the first time that drones were used to target such infrastructure. But that was just the start of weaponisation of drones in the battlefield. 

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Conflicts like the Nagorno Karabakh saw usage of Azerbaijani drones against Armenia which became a template for conflicts globally. Widespread use of drones in the Russia-Ukraine war is well documented, which has been studied by top security officials globally. Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, the Army’s Director General of Air Defence, stressed the relentless evolution of drone tech. “New challenges to air power emerge constantly,” he said.

Indian Army's measures include, neutralising threats before strikes, coming up with counter drone strategies, and protection of VAVPs or Vulnerable Areas and Vulnerable Points which basically means locations, assets, or installations that are deemed critical and at risk of aerial threats. The Indian Army identifies and prioritises these VAVPs to ensure they are safeguarded through enhanced air defence measures, including radar coverage, counter-drone systems, and missile or gun-based defences. 

The Akashteer system is being used as part of a unified defence shield. Other measures include fortifying radars as part of the measures. Low Level Light Weight (LLLR) radar systems are being used as part of air defence modernization efforts, specifically designed to detect and track small, low-flying threats such as drones, unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

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Integrated Drone Detection & Interdiction System (IDD&IS), developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army is being adopted. The counter drone measures a combination of sensors—such as radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, and radio frequency (RF) detectors—to identify drones. The system includes jamming capabilities as well. Nine of these systems are up for grabs via a fresh RFP.

Gun-based defences are making a comeback too. The Army is keen on modern guns and smart ammo to replace aging L-70s, a 40mm anti-aircraft gun system originally developed by Bofors, a Swedish company. It has been a mainstay of the Indian Army’s air defence inventory for decades, primarily used to engage low-flying aircraft and helicopters. But it is now struggling against modern threats with aging technology, range, precision and manual operation.

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An RFP for 220 successor guns, anti aircraft guns, is out, and trials for next-gen systems are slated for 2026. Meanwhile, futuristic drone-killing ideas, from drone-on-drone combat to rocket launchers on wheels, are being explored. A flagship project is the Air Defence Gun Missile (Self Propelled) system (ADGM SP), set to succeed the Shilka and Tunguska platforms (Soviet-era self-propelled anti-aircraft systems used by India). Packing both guns and missiles, it’ll cover 8-10 kilometers with fragmentation rounds and drone-busting missiles. An RFP for this beast drops in the next two months.

DRDO’s in the thick of it, pushing projects like the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) with a 30-kilometer reach, making it effective against targets at medium distances while filling the gap between very short-range systems (e.g., MANPADS) and longer-range systems like the Akash. The Army’s also eyeing a shorter-range 7–10-kilometer missile, with a DRDO deal nearing the finish line.