The Indian Army is raising dedicated 'Ashin' drone platoons across infantry, artillery and armoured regiments to strengthen drone warfare capabilities, said Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, on Thursday.
Talking to reporters, Lt Gen Katiyar said, "We realised that the use of drones is extremely important. Therefore, we have integrated drone usage across all units, right down to the smallest sub-units."
He said dedicated 'Ashin' drone platoons—small sub-units within infantry battalions—have been created and similar specialised platoons will be raised in every regiment, reports news agency PTI. Noting that these platoons have achieved expertise in drone operations, he said every regiment— infantry, artillery or armoured—will have such units specialising in drone warfare.
For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India
The Western Army Commander said that future conflicts may demand swift action to protect troops and carry out precision strikes.
"These specialised battalions are meant to further enhance our strike capability and special operations capability. In the coming times, small, agile teams capable of operating independently and penetrating deep into enemy territory will be required," he said.
Lt Gen Katiyar also revealed that a majority of the drones displayed during the event were manufactured in Western Command workshops.
"We have started fabricating drones within the Army itself and are producing them on a fairly large scale. We understand our operational requirements and the technology we need, and we can build them more effectively in our own workshops," he said.
