India Plans Rs 30bn Drone Contracts to Boost Defence

24 Sep 2025 CW Team

Committed to promoting indigenisation, the Ministry of Defence plans to spend at least 75 per cent of its capital expenditure within India. It is also advocating for a minimum 17 per cent annual increase in the defence budget to support the country’s strategic ambitions.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18 at the Reforms Reloaded event in New Delhi, Singh stated that the Defence Ministry is preparing to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for the MALE drones, with an estimated cost of Rs 30 billion. He added that total defence orders could reach Rs 75 billion during the remainder of the financial year 2025-26, including procurements for Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

These acquisitions are intended to bridge critical capability gaps in India’s armed forces, including the procurement of 4.5-generation fighter jets. Singh noted: “If you don’t have 5th generation fighter jets immediately, you can compensate with a larger fleet of 4 and 4.5 generation fighters,” highlighting the Indian Air Force’s current shortfalls.

Further plans include the acquisition of AWACS, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and aerial refuelling aircraft to enhance defence readiness. “Last year, for the first time, we fully utilised our budgets, and this year we will do the same. Three-quarters of last year’s contracts have already been awarded,” Singh said.

The Ministry expects a 10 per cent increase in defence capital expenditure in the upcoming budget and will push the Finance Commission for at least a 17 per cent hike. Singh also emphasised that India’s defence spending has fallen below 2 per cent of GDP, with plans to raise it to between 2.5 and 3 per cent to adequately meet national security requirements.

India’s Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, has announced a major initiative to strengthen the nation’s defence capabilities, revealing that the government will soon invite proposals for medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone contracts worth Rs 30 billion.Committed to promoting indigenisation, the Ministry of Defence plans to spend at least 75 per cent of its capital expenditure within India. It is also advocating for a minimum 17 per cent annual increase in the defence budget to support the country’s strategic ambitions.Speaking to CNBC-TV18 at the Reforms Reloaded event in New Delhi, Singh stated that the Defence Ministry is preparing to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for the MALE drones, with an estimated cost of Rs 30 billion. He added that total defence orders could reach Rs 75 billion during the remainder of the financial year 2025-26, including procurements for Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.These acquisitions are intended to bridge critical capability gaps in India’s armed forces, including the procurement of 4.5-generation fighter jets. Singh noted: “If you don’t have 5th generation fighter jets immediately, you can compensate with a larger fleet of 4 and 4.5 generation fighters,” highlighting the Indian Air Force’s current shortfalls.Further plans include the acquisition of AWACS, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and aerial refuelling aircraft to enhance defence readiness. “Last year, for the first time, we fully utilised our budgets, and this year we will do the same. Three-quarters of last year’s contracts have already been awarded,” Singh said.The Ministry expects a 10 per cent increase in defence capital expenditure in the upcoming budget and will push the Finance Commission for at least a 17 per cent hike. Singh also emphasised that India’s defence spending has fallen below 2 per cent of GDP, with plans to raise it to between 2.5 and 3 per cent to adequately meet national security requirements.

Resources

21 Nov 2025

Hindustan Zinc, RIICO Advance Plans for Proposed Zinc Park

Hindustan Zinc, in collaboration with the Rajasthan State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation (RIICO), held a stakeholder consultation workshop in Jaipur to advance the proposed Zinc Park, the world’s first dedicated industrial ecosystem for zinc, lead, silver, and allied metals. The initiative aims to position Rajasthan as a global hub for metals innovation and manufacturing. The workshop brought together policymakers, industrial leaders, MSMEs, technology partners, and prospective investors to refine the park’s infrastructure blueprint, policy framework, and sectoral..

Real Estate

21 Nov 2025

ANAROCK Unveils AI Platform to Transform Housing Sales

ANAROCK has recently launched ANAROCK.AI, an advanced residential sales platform integrating generative and predictive AI to accelerate property transactions and strengthen customer engagement. Built on eight years of proprietary data covering seven million enquiries and 90,000 unit sales, the platform uses machine learning to identify high-intent buyers, revive dormant leads, and enhance channel partner performance. The suite comprises nine tools across three segments—Genie Suite for 24/7 conversational engagement; Astra Suite for predictive lead scoring, sales revival and team optimisatio..

Infrastructure Energy

21 Nov 2025

Tsuyo, Karnataka Ink LOI for EV Powertrain Facility

Tsuyo Manufacturing has recently signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of Karnataka to set up an advanced EV powertrain manufacturing facility and a dedicated testing track for commercial vehicles. The agreement was formalised at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 in the presence of senior state officials and company leadership. The proposed plant will produce a wide range of powertrain solutions, including electric motors across multiple topologies, e-drives, e-axles, automatic transmissions, integrated systems, and complete powertrain assemblies for heavy commercial EVs. It will also fe..