IAF Chief Rules Out a Separate Drone Force: Why Drones Must Fight Alongside Fighter Jets
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, said drones are "evolutionary, not revolutionary" for the Indian Air Force (IAF). He made the remarks at a press conference in New Delhi on 3 October 2026, ahead of Air Force Day (8 October).
He ruled out the need for a separate drone force or drone command. He said unmanned aircraft must work as part of the same set-up as fighter jets and other weapons, and operate together with them.
He pointed out that the IAF has used drones for more than two decades. It already has specialised drone units, and the number and types of drones and munitions (weapons and ammunition) are now growing.
He used Operation Sindoor (May 2025) as an example. In that operation, drones, fighter jets and other weapons were used together, and the mission was completed within four days.
The IAF's view is that drones cannot replace manned combat aircraft. They should add to them inside one combined fighting system.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Types, Uses and India's Drone Programme
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), commonly called a drone, is an aircraft that flies without a pilot sitting inside it. It is either flown by a person from the ground using a remote control, or it flies on its own using a pre-set computer program. The full set-up (the aircraft, the ground control station and the communication link between them) is called an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). Drones range from toy-sized gadgets to large military aircraft that can fly for more than a day and fire missiles.
The IAF chief's statement is about where drones fit in the air force. He argued against a separate drone force because, in his view, drones work best as one part of a team that includes fighters, radars and missiles. This is the manned-unmanned teaming idea in practice.
Operation Sindoor (May 2025)
Operation Sindoor was India's military operation against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in May 2025. It began in the early hours of 7 May 2025 with precision strikes on nine terror-linked sites. It grew into four days of fighting between India and Pakistan, using missiles, drones and aircraft, and ended with an understanding to stop firing from 17:00 IST on 10 May 2025.
The IAF chief used Operation Sindoor to back his view on drones. He said the mission was completed in four days because drones, fighters and other weapons were used together. To him, this shows that drones work best as part of an integrated force, not as a separate service.
- IAF chief's remarks: 3 October 2026, ahead of Air Force Day (IAF founded 8 October 1932)
- IAF view: no separate drone force; drones are "evolutionary, not revolutionary"
- IAF has used drones for over two decades (UAVs formally inducted in 2000)
- Operation Sindoor: 7 to 10 May 2025; ended with stopping of fire at 17:00 IST on 10 May
- Drone Rules, 2021: five weight categories, nano up to 250 g, large above 150 kg
- PLI for drones: ₹120 crore over three years (announced 30 September 2021)
- MQ-9B deal: 31 drones from the US, signed October 2024