ગુજરાતી
English
Ahmedabad, 15 January 2025
The Elbit Hermes 900 drone crashed on 13 January 2025 before being handed over to the Navy. Adani’s Vision 10 Starliner drone crashed. The Navy insisted on testing, Adani’s ship broke apart and exploded during the test.
The first ‘Drishti-10’ was handed over to the Indian Navy in early 2024. Later, another drone aircraft was being confirmed to be handed over to the Navy’s operation in Porbandar, Gujarat. The drone was to fly from Hyderabad to Porbandar to take part in the Navy’s maritime operation.
The drone manufactured by Adani Defense and Aerospace was being flown as a test before being handed over to the Navy. The Vision 10 Starliner is a medium-altitude long-range drone. Manufactured at the Hyderabad-based plant by Adani Defense and Aerospace, a group owned by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
The Drone 10 Starliner is a medium-altitude long-range drone developed in collaboration with Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. It is the only all-weather military platform with NATO’s STANG 4671 certification for airworthiness of UAV systems. Provides long-term performance.
The Indian Army had ordered two such drones. The first drone operates at Bathinda base in Punjab. It monitors the entire western border with Pakistan.
Admiral R Hari Kumar declared, “This is a momentous occasion and a transformational step towards India’s self-reliance in ISR technology and maritime supremacy. The Adani Group is committed to developing local capabilities, not limited to just manufacturing. We have demonstrated our commitment to unmanned systems by working systematically over the last several years. Integrating Vision 10 into our naval operations will enhance our naval capabilities, strengthening our readiness for maritime surveillance and monitoring.
What went wrong in the drone, due to which the command system stopped working, is being investigated. Both the Indian Army and Navy defense forces gave orders to the drone manufacturer to buy two units of this drone each.
Its purchase was to be done immediately as per the requirement. There was a plan to strengthen security at the sea level, but now that this accident has happened, no concrete information has come out about the deal till the time of writing the news.
The drone is 70% indigenous and its flight time is claimed to be up to 36 hours. Can carry a payload of up to 450 kg.
The Indian Navy has already inducted Drishti 10 into its fleet and the drone was purchased with the aim of enhancing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for the army and navy. Each Drishti 10 drone costs around Rs 145 crore.
The drone has been recovered after the accident and the matter is being investigated. The Indian Navy is taking important steps regarding its maritime security. Four months ago, an MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone also crashed in the Bay of Bengal due to a technical fault.
The Elbit Hermes 900 drone has been taken back by Adani and will be analysed to find out what went wrong and where the fault was. The drones have not been delivered yet so there will be no financial impact on the Navy.
Order placed to Indian Army and Navy in 2023
By announcing emergency procurement of the country’s army and navy in 2023. Two SATCOM-enabled drones were ordered.
Each of these drones is designed for long-range ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions. Its cost is around Rs 145 crore. The first drone was handed over to the Navy in January 2024. Then another drone was given to the army in June.
The crashed drone was delivered in December last year and had to be accepted.
As the Navy wanted to ease the pressure on the P81 aircraft, it bought the Hermes 900 for surveillance purposes.
The Indian Navy is already operating two Sea Guardian drones leased from US company General Atomics. In addition, India inked a deal in October for 31 Predator drones, of which 15 drones will be given to the Navy, boosting its surveillance capabilities.
The Army needs 150 new aircraft systems
Imported Israeli Searcher, Heron Mark-I and Mark-II drones. The Army needs about 150 new MALE remotely piloted aircraft systems.
India signed a deal with the US in October last year for 31 armed MQ-9B ‘Predators’ for Rs. 32 thousand 350 crores in a major purchase deal.
How about drones?
With three points for carrying loads, the drones can be equipped with weapons when required. Can be used at an altitude of 30 thousand feet.
The Navy has deployed a task group of 10 warships in the Arabian Sea. Various assets including P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, Sea Guardian remotely piloted aircraft, Dorniers, helicopters and coast guard ships are actively involved in strengthening security in the region.
The Navy has also signed a deal to buy 31 MQ-9B drones from the US to strengthen its surveillance capabilities.
How prepared is India?
75 indigenous drones flew simultaneously in the first drone-demonstration in India.
The Indian Army has been using drones for spying for many years. India’s drone army has Israeli Nir
The number of drones used is the highest. India’s February 2019 airstrikes on Pakistan would have been more effective if drones were also used.
Ex. Indian company DCM Shriram Industries has bought a 30 percent stake in Turkish drone manufacturer Zyron Dynamics.
The new drone policy aims to make India a drone manufacturing hub by 2030.
India may buy 20 Sky Guardian and 10 Sea Guardian versions of the MQ-9 Reaper drone from the US. The cost of three billion dollars. In the project worth about $ 400 million, India and Israel will jointly develop laser-guided bombs on drones as well as air-to-ground missiles.
India has several indigenously built drone platforms that are in various stages of research and development. The most outstanding among the drones of the future will be a bomber called ‘Thatak’. Future drones are going to become the basis of the army.
Industry
In five years from 2022, the country’s drone industry will be worth 50 thousand crores. It is expected to provide employment to 10 thousand people in the next 3 years and about 20 thousand people in 5 years. Smit Shah is the director of Drone Federation of India. Currently, the drone industry is worth 5,000 crores. The government estimates that in 5 years it will become an industry of 15 to 20 thousand crores. The industry believes that by 2026 it can reach a turnover of 50,000 crores.
Status of drone market in India?
India’s share in the global market is 4.25 percent. India is also importing a lot. By 2021, India’s drone market was up to $ 1.21 billion. India’s drone and counter-drone market can reach $ 40 billion by 2030.
Adani
Adani Defence and Aerospace manufactures a wide range of equipment such as small arms, unmanned aerial vehicles, radars, defence electronics and avionics, strategic communication systems and electro-optical systems to support the Indian armed forces and other paramilitary forces. With the emerging threat of drones, Adani Defence is developing counter drone systems for both defence and civilian applications. For Adani, the main priority is to put India on the global map in terms of land, air and maritime border security, intelligence, surveillance and exports. The company has been saying this repeatedly. Which has been hit hard.
