Drones and loitering munitions were two key components of India’s planned strike against Pakistan during the May 2025 conflict. After the conflict, the Indian Army has not only established dedicated drone units but also showcased a small part of its drone fleet. Given the importance of drones and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), the government has now decided to build a dedicated runway and aviation base for the aerial warfare components.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the base will be constructed by the Border Roads Organisation at a cost of around Rs 406 crore. Spread across more than 900 acres on Quila Road, the new facility will function as a key operational base for the Indian Army. Its primary role will be to support High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft. These drones are designed to deliver real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance over sensitive border areas.
At the heart of the base will be a 2,110-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway. It is being built to handle RPAs as well as transport aircraft like the C-295 and C-130. The runway will be equipped with ICAO CAT-II compliant lighting and navigation systems, allowing operations even in low-visibility and adverse weather conditions.
Notably, the Indian Army has been conducting drone related exercise. One such exercise – Drone KAVACH – was conducted in the forward areas of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh over a period of four days. The exercise conducted between September 25 and 28 showcased the Indian Army’s combat readiness for the next generation of drone warfare, besides validating state-of-the-art drone technologies and counter-drone systems.
“Exercise DRONE KAVACH was spread over a period of four days and was also attended by personnel of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deployed in forward areas,” said PRO Defence in a statement.
#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS, visited the ‘Drone Excellence Centre’ at Likabali Military Station today. He witnessed the in-house fabricated drones, associated technologies and training on drone fabrication & handling.
The #COAS lauded all ranks for their spirit of innovation… pic.twitter.com/oNmxoNNQVy
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) September 18, 2025
As part of the exercise, a series of tactical manoeuvres and combat situations were exercised to validate the Indian Army’s preparedness for operating in a multi-domain technological-infused battlefield scenario.
“Tactics, Techniques and Procedures about target acquisition, active/ passive counter drone measures and target neutralisation with assured success were rehearsed under simulated conditions,” the official said.
Newly raised structures at the unit level were also exercised for developing tactics, techniques and procedures in consonance with the overall employment philosophy and mandated operational tasks.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
