The Indian Army has awarded a 1.37 billion rupee (approximately $16 million) emergency contract to Indian drone manufacturer ideaForge for the supply of mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Under the agreement, ideaForge will deliver an undisclosed number of fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones and related accessories within 12 months. The selection process prioritized indigenous content and required all critical components to be sourced from non-bordering countries.
These hybrid drones, designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, proved their effectiveness during the four-day India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025. They will primarily support counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism (CI/CT) operations.
Two independent technical teams inspected ideaForge’s facilities to verify the origin and security of all UAV subsystems, ensuring compliance with the requirement to avoid sourcing from bordering nations.
The contract aligns with the “Make in India” initiative, which seeks to reduce foreign defense reliance and promote homegrown manufacturing and innovation.
