India Unveils Indigenous Kamikaze Drones

As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has introduced indigenous Kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munitions, capable of flying up to 1,000 kilometers. These advanced unmanned aerial vehicles are equipped with homegrown engines and can carry a 25-kilogram explosive payload while hovering for up to nine hours. Designed for precision strikes, these drones can loiter in target areas before receiving commands from a remote operator to dive onto targets, effectively overwhelming enemy defenses. Dr. Abhay Pashilkar, the project head, emphasized their potential as a 'game-changing' addition to modern warfare, drawing parallels to their historical use during World War II. The drones' development highlights India's commitment to self-reliance in defense technology amid rising regional tensions. This initiative has received support from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which has approved a project involving major engineering labs under its umbrella.