POLITICS
India Rolls Out $234 Million Drone Scheme to Counter Pakistan-China Drone Axis
India is launching a $234 million (INR 20 billion) incentive programme to boost local manufacturing of drones and reduce reliance on imported components—particularly from China—as tensions with Pakistan over drone warfare escalate.
The programme, running for three years, will support the production of drones, critical components, software, counter-drone systems, and related services. This move follows a four-day drone conflict between India and Pakistan in May, which marked the first large-scale deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by both nuclear-armed neighbours.
India aims to manufacture at least 40% of key drone components domestically by FY 2028. The new programme far surpasses the earlier 1.2 billion rupees scheme for drone start-ups introduced in 2021, which failed to make a major impact due to funding challenges.