Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Learning from Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army is equipping its armoured regiments with dedicated drone units known as ‘Shaurya Squadrons’. These units are being integrated into tank formations to support surveillance, precision strikes, electronic warfare and logistics, adding drone capabilities directly to armoured operations.Just a few days ago, the Army tested a Shaurya Squadron in a realistic battle environment at Babina Field Firing Ranges near Jhansi, where Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth witnessed a drone squadron in action. Led by the White Tiger Division under the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, the 13-day drill showed how drone support added extra punch to the fire power of armoured regiments.On X, the Southern Command said, “Fielded in a realistic battle environment, Shaurya Squadron demonstrated the seamless integration of real-time surveillance assets with mechanised forces, attack helicopters, swarm strikes and coordinated firepower, enhancing battlefield awareness, compressing the sensor-to-shooter cycle and enabling swift, decisive battlefield response.”A source in the Army told TOI that “5-6 Shaurya Squadrons have been activated till now”. “However, the concept of the drone unit integration is still at a nascent stage and more trials are needed for perfection. The formal raising of such units will happen after a formal approval is received,” the source said.The Army operates one of the world’s largest main battle tank fleets with 63 armoured regiments. Each regiment is typically equipped with about 45 tanks, constituting a total fleet of roughly 4,500 tanks, including T-90S Bhishma, upgraded T-72 M1 ‘Ajeya’, and Arjun MK1/MK1A variants.Drawing lessons from global conflicts, including Russia-Ukraine war, that are drone-centric, the Indian Army is gradually pushing to institutionalise UAV or drone capabilities across its arms.In the infantry, the Army last year raised Ashni platoons, equipped with surveillance UAVs and loitering munitions for tactical ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and strike roles. In the artillery, Divyastra batteries have been raised to integrate UAV-based targeting with conventional guns for faster and more autonomous engagement cycles.
