Nagastra-1: Indian Army receives first batch of indigenous suicide drones

Nagastra-1 will enhances the army's capability to execute shallow strikes across the border when necessary

June 14, 2024

Indian Army gets first indigenous suicide drones with reusable technology

The Indian Army has received the first batch of domestically produced man-portable suicide drones, called Nagastra-1. This addition enhances the army’s capability to execute shallow strikes across the border when necessary.

The drones are capable of accurately striking enemy training camps, launch pads and infiltrators, hence minimizing risk to soldiers.

Drones like Nagastra-1 are a type of loitering munition, in which the aerial weapon is designed with an in-built warhead that is typically designed to loiter around a target area until a target is located, then attack the target by crashing into it.

The drones have been designed and developed fully in India by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries, and have an indigenous content of over 75 percent.

The Indian Army has placed an order to Solar Industries’ Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL) to supply 480 Loiter Munitions under Emergency Procurement Powers. After successful completion of pre-delivery inspections, EEL delivered 120 Loiter Munitions to an Army Ammunition Depot, defence officials said.

These systems can target a variety of soft-skin threats and offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional missiles and precision munitions. They are particularly suited for lower-end targets, such as groups of infiltrating terrorists at the border.

What is Nagastra -1?

Nagastra -1, in a “kamikaze mode“, can neutralize any hostile threat with a GPS-enabled precision strike with an accuracy of 2m.
The man-portable fixed-wing electric UAV, which weighs 9 kg, has an endurance of 30 min, a man-in-loop range of 15 km, and an autonomous mode range of 30 km.
Its electric propulsion system provides a low acoustic signature to make it undetectable by the enemy at a height of more than 200 meters.
The munitions can carry a 1 kg warhead up to a range of 15 km, with an upgraded version capable of carrying a 2.2 kg warhead up to 30 km.
One notable feature is the parachute recovery mechanism, allowing the munition to be retrieved and reused in case of an aborted mission.

Such systems are widely used in contemporary conflicts, including the Ukraine-Russia war and the Armenia-Azerbaijan skirmishes. Previously, the armed forces procured similar systems from foreign vendors during an earlier round of emergency acquisitions, albeit at a much higher cost.

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