450 Loitering Munitions to Help Army Capabilities

The ₹58-Crore Order for Nagastra-IR is a Follow-on Contract to 480 Nagastra-1 Drones Ordered for the Army Last Year

- Rahul Singh

NEW DELHI: The ministry of defence has ordered 450 locally produced loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones, from a Nagpur-based defence firm, Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd, to boost the army's precision targeting capabilities, weeks after Indian forces deployed these weapons to hit targets in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, people aware of the matter said on Monday.

The ₹158-crore order for the Nagastra-IR loitering munitions is a follow-on contract to the 480 Nagastra-I drones ordered for the army last year through the emergency procurement route, the people said, asking not to be named. The firm, a subsidiary of Solar Industries and earlier known as Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), will execute the new order in one year to meet the army's urgent needs.

Such munitions hover over the battle zone, locate the target and crash into it.

The Nagastra-IR is equipped with a 360-degree gimbal camera, with the option of using a thermal one for night operations, has a proprietary encryption for video and telemetry communication, and its launcher system is reusable, HT learnt. It has an indigenous content of around 80%.