Nagpur: The Indian Army has placed an order for 450 Nagastra 1R loitering munitions, commonly described as suicide drones with Nagpur-based Solar Industries, marking a notable step in India’s move towards indigenously-produced military technology, as reported by media.
The order was secured under the Army’s emergency procurement powers, following a 2024 contract for 480 Nagastra units. An initial batch of 120 drones was delivered in June 2024 after pre-delivery inspections, according to defence officials
Gold Rate
17 June 2025
Equipped with GPS-guided targeting and capable of operating at altitudes over 4,500 m, the electrically powered Nagastra 1R can loiter for up to an hour and strike targets within a 15 km man-in-loop range, or up to 30 km in autonomous mode. Unique among such systems, this drone features a parachute recovery mechanism for aborted missions, allowing for reuse.
Manufactured with over 75 per cent indigenous components, the Nagastra 1R has been deployed operationally against low-end threats like platoons of infiltrators, providing silent, cost-effective precision-strike capability
The procurement supports India’s broader Make in India defence initiative, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, while enhancing tactical flexibility, especially along border areas with insurgent activity.
Deliveries of the new batch are expected in phases. The suicide drone joins other recent domestic orders and falls within India’s growing strategy of equipping infantry and artillery units with loitering munitions, as the defence ecosystem shifts toward drone-intensive warfare.
The Nagastra-1R is a cost effective system with full re-usability of launcher systems. The advanced loitering munition system comes with a 3600 gimbal camera with the option of putting thermal camera option for night operations. The systems have a proprietary encryption for both video and telemetry communication and come with a high precision targeting system with 2 metres CEP and over 75 per cent indigenous content. The systems have been tested at various locations, including Ladakh and Babina near Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, said the sources.
