SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
In a strategic push to counter the evolving threat of main battle tanks (MBTs) in modern warfare, the Indian Army is engaging with private sector companies to develop a new generation of drones specifically optimized for anti-tank roles. According to sources cited by Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org), these drones will feature GPS-independent navigation systems capable of operating in contested electromagnetic (EM) environments and munitions designed to “thwart” active protection systems (APS) on armored vehicles before penetrating their armor.
This initiative, driven by lessons from recent conflicts and the increasing survivability of MBTs equipped with cope cages, underscores India’s commitment to enhancing its tactical capabilities through indigenous innovation under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Drones have emerged as game-changers on the battlefield, with conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and India-Pakistan skirmishes demonstrating their ability to neutralize high-value assets, including MBTs. The Indian Army has successfully used drones like the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) ALS-50 loitering munition and indigenous First-Person View (FPV) drones to target enemy tanks, as seen during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. However, these systems are not optimized for anti-tank roles, often relying on general-purpose warheads that struggle against modern MBTs fitted with protective countermeasures.
The proliferation of “cope cages”—improvised slat armor or netting installed on tanks to disrupt incoming munitions—has significantly increased MBT survivability. These low-cost defenses, widely observed in Ukraine, detonate or destabilize shaped-charge warheads, such as those used in anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) or drone payloads, before they can penetrate armor. Additionally, advanced APS like Israel’s Trophy or Russia’s Arena, which use radar-guided interceptors to neutralize incoming threats, pose further challenges. The Indian Army’s T-90 Bhishma and Arjun tanks face similar threats from adversaries like Pakistan’s Al-Khalid and China’s Type 99, which are increasingly equipped with such defenses, necessitating a specialized anti-tank drone capability.
New Anti-Tank Drones: Key Requirements
The Indian Army’s collaboration with private sector firms aims to address these challenges by developing drones tailored for anti-tank missions. Key requirements include:
- GPS-Independent Navigation: The Army seeks drones with navigation systems that operate reliably in GPS-denied or EM-contested environments, where adversaries employ jamming or spoofing to disrupt satellite-based guidance. As highlighted in a 2023 ORF report, electronic warfare (EW) tactics like jamming and spoofing, seen in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, can render GPS-reliant drones ineffective. The proposed drones will likely integrate inertial navigation systems (INS), terrain contour matching (TERCOM), or AI-based visual navigation, similar to those tested by Bengaluru-based NeoSky India Limited, to ensure precision targeting in contested zones.
- Munitions to Thwart Active Defenses: The drones will carry advanced anti-tank warheads designed to defeat APS and cope cages. These munitions are expected to employ tandem shaped charges, which use a precursor warhead to neutralize reactive armor or APS interceptors, followed by a main charge to penetrate the tank’s armor. The Army also seeks payloads capable of “thwarting” active defenses through electronic countermeasures (ECM) or decoy tactics, ensuring the warhead reaches its target. Such capabilities draw inspiration from advanced ATGMs like the DRDO-developed HELINA, which features ECM-resistant guidance.
- High Precision and Autonomy: The drones will incorporate AI-driven automatic target recognition (ATR) systems, as seen in existing Indian ISR drones like the Hermes 900, to identify and prioritize armored targets in complex battlefields. Autonomous operation, demonstrated by NeoSky’s precision munition-dropping drones in 2025 trials, will enable the drones to loiter, select targets, and strike with minimal human intervention, reducing operator exposure to EW threats.
- Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability: Priced at approximately ?1.4 lakh per unit for FPV drones, as reported in March 2025 trials, these systems aim to offer a cost-effective alternative to imported loitering munitions like the US Switchblade or Israel’s Harop. Collaboration with private firms like TASL, Johnnette Technologies, and NewSpace Research and Technologies ensures scalability, with potential orders in the thousands to achieve economies of scale, as suggested by idrw.org.
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