Target drones: Op Sindoor showcased India’s indigenous capability

India’s armed forces used homegrown drone systems during precision strikes in Operation Sindoor.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Target drone

During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, India’s armed forces relied extensively on indigenously developed systems, including target drones, marking a significant evolution in the country’s defence preparedness. The large-scale operation, which lasted less than 30 minutes, involved precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure across the border and extensive use of counter-drone measures to neutralise incoming threats.

According to officials, Indian air-defence units intercepted more than 600 Pakistani-origin drones that attempted incursions along the western border during the course of the operation. The Southern Command's air-defence brigade, working in coordination with the Indian Air Force, destroyed around 70 drones in the Gujarat and Rajasthan sectors, including Turkish-origin Songar armed platforms.

“We faced sustained drone and missile pressure throughout the operation, but our systems and training ensured not a single breach,” a senior Border Security Force official posted along the Western frontier told The Sunday Guardian.

This was also confirmed by Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal A.P. Singh, who said that indigenously developed and integrated weapons “delivered precise and devastating blows deep inside enemy territory,” vindicating the IAF’s faith in homegrown capabilities.