Hanoi, June 30, 2026
India’s drone ecosystem has entered a new stage of development, with complete project execution set to determine its future growth rather than operational expansion alone. While demand from the defence and commercial sectors remains strong, long-term competitiveness will require stronger domestic manufacturing capabilities and reduced reliance on imported components such as sensors, propulsion systems and specialised payloads, a report has stated.
“The drone industry in India has entered a significant phase of expansion. The industry has entered a structured growth phase, with more than 38,500 drones registered, 39,890 remote pilots certified, and over 240 training organisations approved as of February 2026. The current ecosystem has developed from its previous state of having defence-led operations and fragmented manufacturing activities to an extensive system that includes production capabilities, service offerings, software development and training facilities,” a report in ‘Vietnam Times’ detailed.
“This growth has been driven by three key factors, including regulatory changes, increasing strategic needs and the development of new commercial applications. Drones are now deployed across agriculture, infrastructure, logistics and governance due to their capabilities, which have expanded beyond their original purpose as a specialised aviation tool,” it added.
According to the report, India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing drone markets, driven by stronger policy support and the increasing usage of drones across several sectors.
It noted that drones have become an essential tool for a wide range of industries, improving efficiency, lowering costs and strengthening service delivery.
“Unmanned systems now assist defence operations through their use in surveillance, missions, intelligence gathering, reconnaissance work and logistics tasks, which the systems can deploy faster while maintaining cheaper operational expenses than traditional defence systems. Recent geopolitical developments have reinforced the need for trustworthy indigenous drone systems which security operations now consider essential for their modern defence strategies,” the report mentioned.
Highlighting that the benefits of drones extend well beyond military applications, the report noted that the SVAMITVA Scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24, 2020, has conducted drone-based surveys in 3.28 lakh villages across India, leading to the distribution of 2.76 crore property cards in 1.82 lakh villages in 31 states.
This initiative has bolstered land record systems, enabling clearer property ownership determination and reducing disputes.
“In agriculture, drones are supporting productivity and rural livelihoods. A total of 1,094 drones have been distributed to women’s self-help groups, including more than 500 under the Namo Drone Didi initiative, enabling precision spraying and enhancing farm efficiency,” the report highlighted.
The report noted that the drone industry is expected to generate over 1,20,000 jobs in manufacturing and more than 6,00,000 services sector positions. It said that India’s focus on export-driven production is strengthening its emergence as a key hub for drone manufacturing and service delivery.(Agency)
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