After Operation Sindoor, India has started new procurement of Heron MK-II drones from Israel. Preparations for drone manufacturing in India are underway with the HAL-ELCOM partnership. The 45 hour flying capability of MK-II will give new strength to India’s LAC surveillance.
New Delhi. India is continuously strengthening its security strategy. The way India has decided to purchase more Heron MK-II drones from Israel after Operation Sindoor, it is clear that the country is now rapidly investing in high-end technology and further enhancing its long-range surveillance capability. Heron MK-II is a drone whose range, endurance and speed perfectly fit the needs of India. This is the reason why the three armies Army, Air Force and Navy have decided to include this advanced UAV in their system.
India is not only buying drones
Sources in Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) said that India is not only buying drones, but now talks are also progressing to make MK-II and further variants in India. This is a big step towards Make in India, because this will not only enable India to bring the world’s top drone technology, but will also make complete domestic manufacturing possible in the future. Partnership with HAL and ELCOM is the most important part of this plan.
Why are Heron MK-II features so important for India?
Heron MK-II is a MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAV, which can fly for up to 45 hours. The service ceiling of 35,000 feet and speed of 150 knots make it extremely useful. This becomes more important for India because the need for constant surveillance against China on the LAC has increased. Also, Heron’s surveillance capability has proved to be very effective many times on the Pakistan border.
Will new MK-II be made in India?
IAI clearly said that they are fully ready for local production in India. There is a rule for 60% indigenous content in MALE UAV projects, and Israeli companies are working on meeting this goal. This means that in the coming time, India will not only buy Heron drones, but will also make them itself.
Big leap towards Make in India
The proposed partnership of HAL–ELCOM–IAI proves that India is no longer an importer in defense manufacturing but is moving towards becoming a global manufacturer. Project Cheetah, which upgrades India’s existing Heron fleet, is also a big step in this direction.