India’s Drone Warfare Era Begins: AI, Kamikaze Drones, and a High-Tech Defence Race
Warfare in the 21st century has radically transformed. The modern enemy may not arrive with boots and rifles, but instead with AI-powered strategies, drone swarms, and silent cyberattacks. For India, this next-gen battlefield is no longer theoretical—it’s a reality. In May 2025, the India-Pakistan conflict escalated into the most serious military clash in decades, featuring high-tech warfare tools like loitering munitions and kamikaze drones. This marked South Asia’s first large-scale deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in active combat, signaling the dawn of AI-driven drone warfare in the region.
“Drones are no longer limited to aerial surveillance,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder of Garuda Aerospace, one of India’s leading drone tech startups. “Today’s defense drones must carry payloads, drop precision bombs, and conduct kamikaze missions. That demands tight integration between AI-based navigation and explosive delivery systems.” This shift underscores how India’s military drone technology is rapidly evolving to meet modern threats.
Garuda Aerospace is at the forefront of India’s drone defense technology ecosystem, alongside a growing number of startups and defense firms investing in autonomous weapons, AI-guided drones, and advanced cyber-defense tools. As geopolitical tensions rise, India’s focus on drone warfare and defense innovation is reshaping its national security strategy for the digital age.
