India’s defence technology ecosystem is developing five combat drone projects aimed at expanding the capabilities of the Indian Air Force and Navy. The programmes are designed for different operational requirements, including fighter support, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, decoy operations and precision strikes.
The five projects highlighted by IDRW are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) CATS Warrior, NewSpace Research Technologies’ Abhimanyu, the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Ghataka, Paninian Aerospace’s Svayatt-M1 and AvionX Aerospace’s Vajra. The platforms are at different stages of development, and they should not be viewed as equally mature or ready for deployment.
HAL’s CATS Warrior to Support Fighter Aircraft
HAL’s Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is being developed in collaboration with NewSpace Research Technologies and Tata Elxsi. The unmanned aircraft is intended to operate alongside crewed fighter jets, supporting missions such as surveillance, strike operations and electronic warfare.
A full-scale demonstrator completed an engine ground run in January 2025. HAL’s annual report has listed further ground runs, taxi tests and flight trials among the planned activities for the 2026–27 financial year. These steps are part of the programme’s ongoing development and testing.
Abhimanyu Targets Naval Combat Operations
NewSpace Research Technologies is developing Abhimanyu, also known as the Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV), for the Indian Navy under the iDEX Aditi 2.0 framework.
The aircraft is intended to operate alongside crewed naval aircraft and support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, decoy and strike missions. A half-scale concept model was displayed at Aero India 2025, and a design-and-development contract has been signed. The model display should not be mistaken for a completed flying prototype.
DRDO’s Ghataka Focuses on Stealth and Deep-Strike Missions
Ghataka is a proposed stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle being developed through DRDO’s aeronautical research ecosystem. Its flying-wing design is intended to support deep-penetration strike and intelligence-gathering missions.
The programme builds on technology developed through the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT), whose demonstrator completed an autonomous flight in July 2022. However, the full-scale Ghataka aircraft has not yet been publicly demonstrated, and reported production requirements should not be treated as confirmed orders.
Private Firms Explore New Combat Drone Concepts
Paninian Aerospace is developing Svayatt-M1, an autonomous collaborative combat aircraft concept. The company is also working on the Yantur family of turbofan engines, intended for applications including unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles and aerial targets. Publicly available information does not establish that a production-ready Yantur engine has flown on Svayatt-M1.
AvionX Aerospace’s Vajra is a concept for a naval collaborative combat aerial vehicle designed around maritime reconnaissance, electronic warfare and precision-strike roles. Its stated design objectives include autonomous operations and compatibility with aircraft-carrier environments. However, publicly available information does not confirm prototype flights or a Navy development contract.
Development Stages Remain a Key Distinction
The five programmes illustrate India’s effort to develop unmanned aircraft for different operational needs. CATS Warrior is intended to complement Air Force fighters, while Abhimanyu is focused on naval aviation. Ghataka aims to develop stealth and deep-strike capabilities, and the private-sector concepts from Paninian Aerospace and AvionX explore additional approaches to collaborative combat aircraft.
Their progress will depend on engineering development, prototype testing, flight validation, funding and military requirements. None of the five projects should be assumed to have entered operational service based on the development information currently available.
As India expands its indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem, these programmes reflect a broader push to develop autonomous platforms that can support crewed aircraft and perform missions in increasingly complex operational environments.
