Indian Army plans 2,715 logistic drones for China, Pakistan border supply

The Ministry of Defence has issued a Request for Information for 2,715 logistic unmanned aerial systems to support the Indian Army’s forward supply lines along the borders with China and Pakistan. The drones are intended to transport rations, ammunition and other essential stores to troops in difficult terrain, reducing reliance on soldiers and mule columns. The RFI calls for three altitude categories (up to 6,000 ft, 6,000‑12,000 ft, and 12,000‑20,000 ft) and specifies one‑way ranges of 10‑20 km, operation in temperatures from –30 °C to 50 °C, and a service life of seven years with at least 1,000 landings. Required features include autonomous and manual modes, obstacle‑avoidance LIDAR, anti‑jamming/spoofing capabilities and identification systems to prevent friendly‑fire incidents. The ministry says the exercise is for gathering industry input and does not constitute a procurement commitment. This request follows earlier efforts in 2022 (570 drones) and 2023 (363 drones) and marks the largest logistic‑drone programme to date.