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Drawing on lessons from Operation Sindoor and the military standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Army has decided to raise specialised ‘Baaz’ battalions to operate long-range drones for surveillance and precision strike missions, marking a major step in its ongoing force transformation.
Named after the hawk, the new battalions will operate under the Army Aviation Corps and centralise the operation, maintenance, and management of the Army’s expanding fleet of unmanned aerial systems.
The Baaz battalions will be distinct from the Ashini drone platoons embedded with infantry battalions for tactical, short-range surveillance, and the Divyastra batteries of the Regiment of Artillery that operate loitering munitions, or one-way attack drones.
Instead, they will be responsible for sustained long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), deep-area monitoring, target acquisition, and the integration of drone operations with ground formations.
Announcing the initiative, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said the service would require continuous induction, upgrades, and large-scale replenishment of drones.
“One of the most important initiatives is raising Baaz Battalions. This will be built upon the existing Remotely Piloted Aircraft Flights. These battalions will comprise a specialist pool of personnel trained to operate and manage the ecosystem of Remotely Piloted Aircraft. This will enhance Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities through integrated aerial surveillance, persistent battlefield awareness and rapid response,” he said.
The battalions will bring together trained operators, technicians, and analysts to manage the entire drone ecosystem, including deployment, maintenance, mission planning, software upgrades, and the exploitation of intelligence gathered by unmanned platforms.
Army sources said the number of Baaz battalions planned has not been finalised and cannot be disclosed. The units will complement the specialised Aviation Brigades raised over the past few years, with the Army Aviation Corps already operating helicopters, including armed variants, along the frontlines.
The decision is part of the Army’s broader “Decade of Transformation” programme and reflects the growing role of drones in modern warfare. Officials said operational experience from the prolonged LAC deployment with China and the successful employment of unmanned systems during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan last year reinforced the need for dedicated drone formations capable of sustained operations.
The new battalions are expected to operate a mix of long-endurance unmanned platforms, including the MQ-9B drones being acquired from US firm General Atomics, Israeli-origin Heron and Hermes UAVs, as well as indigenous systems developed by Indian companies such as IdeaForge, SMPP and NewSpace Research.
By bringing these diverse platforms under specialised formations, the Army aims to standardise training, streamline maintenance and data management, and improve the ability to conduct persistent border surveillance, deep-penetration reconnaissance and precision targeting while ensuring faster software upgrades and replenishment during high-intensity operations.
Team BharatShakti
