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Indian Army Orders 450 More Indigenous Nagastra-1R Loitering Munitions

Valued at ₹158 crore, the contract highlights India’s drive for self-reliant defence production through phased deliveries of combat-tested loitering munitions.

Such munitions hover over the battle zone, locate the target and crash into it (AP)
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Overview

  • The order builds on the 2024 deal for 480 Nagastra-1 drones and reflects the army’s shift toward drone-intensive warfare.
  • These loitering munitions were operationally deployed in early May during Operation Sindoor to engage low-end threats such as infiltrator platoons across the Pakistan border.
  • The Nagastra-1R features a 360-degree gimbal camera with optional thermal imaging, proprietary encryption for secure video and telemetry communication, and a parachute recovery mechanism for aborted missions.
  • Its one-kilogram warhead, 30 km range and one-hour loiter time enable precision strikes with a circular error probable of just 2 metres.
  • Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd will deliver the 450 units in phases over the next year under emergency procurement powers granted after recent cross-border operations.