Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones, have evolved rapidly from tools of innovation to instruments of both opportunity and threat. For a country as vast and complex as India – with its 15,000-kilometre borders, high-value infrastructure, and dense urban centres – the rise of malicious drone use has created an urgent national security challenge.
While multiple government bodies have deployed Counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems, these efforts remain fragmented. The absence of a unified architecture has left dangerous gaps in India’s airspace defence – and by extension, in its path to becoming a global drone powerhouse.
Unless drones are secured, they will continue to be viewed as threats rather than assets.
The Problem: Fragmentation in C-UAS Deployment
Today, the Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, and civil agencies all operate their own C-UAS platforms – often procured independently, with different vendors, standards, and capabilities. Many of these systems cannot communicate with one another. The result is a patchwork of defences where critical seams remain exposed.
Standalone systems, no matter how advanced, struggle against modern drone threats. AI-driven swarms, GPS-spoofed navigation, and radar-evading profiles have rendered isolated deployments barely 50 percent effective. Airports, refineries, ports, and power plants remain vulnerable – especially when state police and paramilitary deployments are uncoordinated.
Why Unification Matters
A unified C-UAS architecture would transform India’s defensive posture – and lay the foundation for a secure, scalable drone economy.
At its heart lies interoperability: every force and agency – from the Army and Navy to BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, NSG, and State Police – operating within a single, secure digital framework. Such integration ensures real-time coordination across borders, cities, and internal conflict zones.
The second pillar is centralised command and control. Under this model, the Advanced Radar and Drone Technology Centre (ARDTC) would standardise homeland and paramilitary systems, while the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) would unify the tri-services under a single defence chain. Both would report to the Prime Minister’s Office, which would act as the top-level coordinating body – unifying all counter-drone operations into a national command grid.
This structure would not only streamline command but also optimise resources. Joint procurement would reduce duplication, shared standards would simplify training and maintenance, and upgrades could be rolled out uniformly nationwide.
Just as nuclear command requires centralisation, so too does drone defence.
The Economic Dimension
Security is not the end goal; it is the enabler. Without trusted skies, India’s drone economy will never take off. Investors and industries will continue to treat drones as liabilities instead of assets. Logistics, agriculture, surveillance, and urban air mobility – all of which depend on safe, regulated airspace – will remain stunted.
A unified C-UAS grid would provide the trust infrastructure necessary for growth. Much like how road traffic laws once made automobiles scalable, a secure airspace would make drone operations commercially viable.
The National Framework
Under the proposed framework:
- The PMO retains strategic oversight.
- The CDS integrates the Army, Navy, and Air Force systems into a joint defence structure.
- The ARDTC unifies paramilitary and state police deployments.
- Together, they converge into a National C-UAS Grid – a multi-vendor, AI-enabled, interoperable network that provides shared situational awareness and automated response.
The benefits would be transformative:
- Full-spectrum defence for borders, coasts, cities, and skies.
- Economic confidence to expand drone-based industries.
- Deterrence through unified national posture.
- Scalability through standardised systems.
- Future-readiness with seamless integration into India’s upcoming UTM and digital airspace frameworks.
India’s ability to counter hostile drones cannot rely on isolated efforts. The threats are fast, autonomous, and adaptive; our defences must be the same. A unified Counter-UAS architecture – centrally coordinated yet distributed in execution – is the only way to safeguard national security and unlock the full promise of India’s drone economy.
Without unification, India risks both vulnerability in the skies and stagnation on the ground.