The Indian Army is set to acquire nine additional laser-based counter-drone systems for deployment along the borders with Pakistan and China, giving a significant boost to its air defence and counter-infiltration capabilities.
The move follows increased cross-border drone activity, particularly along the western front, where such drones — many of Chinese origin — are frequently used for smuggling weapons, narcotics, and conducting reconnaissance.
The Army has already operationalised seven Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction Systems (IDD&IS), developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which have proven effective in neutralising rogue drones along sensitive border zones.
Defence sources informed that the latest acquisition is being carried out under the emergency procurement powers granted to the armed forces by the Ministry of Defence, aimed at reinforcing the counter-terror and surveillance infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.
“One such system recently demonstrated its effectiveness by bringing down a Pakistan Army drone in the 16 Corps area of responsibility in the Jammu region,” officials said.
They added that the drone, which was confirmed to be of Chinese make, was intercepted and destroyed by an Army Air Defence unit stationed south of the Pir Panjal range.
Each IDD&IS is equipped with a 2-kilowatt laser capable of destroying low-flying drones within an effective range of 800 to 1,000 metres. These systems are already deployed with the Indian Army and other security agencies actively engaged in anti-drone operations.
Officials further noted that India is concurrently developing a more powerful 30-kilowatt laser system capable of neutralising higher-end aerial threats, including high-altitude drones, aircraft, and even cruise missiles. This advanced system is expected to be ready for operational deployment within two years.
With the inclusion of such high-energy laser weaponry, India joins a select league of nations — including the United States, China, and Israel — which possess operational laser-based air defence technologies.
The enhanced capability comes at a time when the use of unmanned aerial systems for asymmetric warfare, arms and narcotics trafficking, and surveillance across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) has become a growing concern for security agencies.
Officials highlighted that laser-based interdiction systems offer a precise and low-collateral method of engaging aerial threats in real time — a vital asset in populated and operationally sensitive regions.
The acquisition of the additional systems is part of a broader modernisation drive by the Indian Army, which aims to equip frontline units with cutting-edge tools to tackle evolving battlefield challenges, especially from technologically enabled non-state actors and hostile state proxies.
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