Overview

• Exercise Vayu Samanvay at Naraingarh near Ambala validated offensive and defensive use of FPV, kamikaze, mule and swarm drones, with live drops of 155 mm shells and mortar rounds.
• Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar said training has intensified since Sindoor and pledged that incoming enemy drones will be destroyed using counter-drone systems and air defence guns.
• Army leaders outlined a need for thousands of drones in coming years, with indigenous platforms and locally fabricated ammunition supporting precision strikes, resupply and relief tasks.
• Exercise DRONE KAVACH in forward areas of eastern Arunachal Pradesh rehearsed target acquisition, active and passive counter-drone measures and EW resilience, with ITBP personnel participating.
• Institutional changes include Drone Centres at the Indian Military Academy, Infantry School Mhow and OTA Chennai, unit-level structures for UAS employment and outreach such as the 'drone didi' training initiative.