Source: Economic Times, 15 December 2025
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EW-Hardened Drones Prioritised:
₹5,000+ crore orders target drones that remained operational under sustained spoofing and jamming during Op Sindoor–replicated trials. -
Supply-Chain Sovereignty Enforced:
Platforms cleared mandatory elimination of Chinese-origin parts, followed by extreme EW testing and high-altitude operational validation. -
Emergency Powers Normalised:
Procurements are being executed under emergency provisions, indicating Op Sindoor has permanently tightened acquisition timelines. -
Indigenous Drone Industry Consolidates:
Munitions India Ltd (~₹500 cr) and private players such as NewSpace–SMPP, ideaForge, and JSW have emerged as core suppliers, strengthening domestic capability.
Strategic note: The development reflects post–Op Sindoor doctrinal modification. Electronic warfare survivability, component provenance, and mission reliability under denial conditions are now being treated as decisive combat enablers, signalling India’s preparation for future conflicts where the electromagnetic spectrum, not airspace alone, will determine battlefield dominance.
