IAF Lays Out Long-Term Requirements for Indigenous Drones, Autonomous Systems

October 22, 2026

IAF unmanned and autonomous systems — Indian Air Force conducted an Industry Outreach Programme at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi to share IAF's long-term capability requirements in the field of unmanned and autonomous systems

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has stepped up engagement with domestic drone manufacturers, startups and other industry partners to develop indigenous unmanned and autonomous systems, identifying propulsion, autonomous software and resilient navigation as critical technologies for reducing dependence on foreign sources.

Around 100 industry representatives attended an outreach programme at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on October 21, where the IAF outlined its long-term operational requirements and technological priorities. The programme was chaired by Air Marshal Premkumar K, Director General (Weapon Systems), at Air Headquarters.

The engagement builds on the IAF Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Roadmap, released at IAF Dronathon 2026 in Pokhran on September 14. The Air Force distributed copies of the roadmap to industry participants to help align indigenous research and development with its future operational needs.

The roadmap envisages a layered, networked family of unmanned systems designed to complement existing and future manned aircraft. The emphasis is on developing indigenous capabilities that are operationally relevant, reliable and resilient, as unmanned platforms become an increasingly important component of air power.

The IAF has identified indigenous propulsion, autonomous software, resilient navigation and standardised interfaces as priority areas requiring sustained investment and focused development. Building domestic capabilities in these fields is intended to reduce external dependencies while strengthening India’s defence industrial base.

The Air Force emphasised that self-reliance in unmanned systems is an operational necessity rather than simply a policy aspiration. Sustained engagement with industry, micro, small and medium enterprises, startups and academia is expected to encourage collaborative development and help translate emerging technologies into deployable military capabilities.

The initiative reflects the growing importance of closer collaboration between the armed forces and domestic industry in developing the next generation of defence technologies. For the IAF, the challenge is to move beyond individual drone platforms towards an integrated ecosystem of autonomous systems that can meet evolving operational requirements.

Team BharatShakti