Deepening the Safety Net

With evolving drone warfare blurring the lines between commerce and conflict, India's ambitions to be a global drone hub now hinge on a robust, risk-proof insurance ecosystem

- ESHAAN BANSAL

The recent escalation in drone-related hostilities (essentially a drone war) between India and Pakistan has underscored the need for a mature and secure drone regulatory ecosystem in India. As drone warfare spills into mainstream conflict zones, India's liberal civil drone policies, introduced to catalyze economic growth, must now confront pressing national security challenges. The Drone Rules, 2021, while progressive, reveal critical regulatory and structural gaps that must be addressed if India is to become a global drone hub by 2030.

As dramatic as these events were, they reflect a deeper shift underway: drones are no longer just gadgets; they are geopolitical tools, commercial workhorses, and a growing part of everyday life. Whether they're used to drop payloads across borders or deliver medicines to Himalayan villages, drones have firmly embedded themselves into India's civil, strategic, and economic landscape.

One of the most rapidly evolving technologies within the aviation sector is that of Unmanned Aircrafts (UA) or Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) or Drones, which will have significant impact on both domestic and international aviation law. Unmanned aircraft or Drones have, apart from considerable military applications such as surveillance, border patrols etc., significant civilian applications that are not just limited to providing transportation.

And yet, while drone technology soars ahead, the ecosystem meant to support and regulate it, especially the drone insurance market remains stunted. Without urgent reform, this gap may threaten not only public safety and investor confidence but also India's goal of becoming a global drone hub by 2030.

The Drone Boom