Indian Army Orders 840 Loitering Munitions from Tata, NIBE

The Ministry of Defence signed two contracts worth about ₹1,577 crore with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd and NIBE Pvt Ltd on 13 August 2026 for loitering munitions, also called one-way attack drones. The procurement covers 84 loiter munition systems, 840 loiter munitions, and associated accessories for the Indian Army.

Loitering Munitions

Loitering munitions are unmanned aerial systems that can remain airborne before striking a target. They are also known as suicide drones or one-way attack drones in defence usage. The systems in this procurement have a deep-strike range of more than 100 kilometres and include anti-jamming and anti-spoofing features.

Procurement Framework

The order is being executed under the Buy (Indian) category through the Fast Track Procedure. This category requires at least 60% indigenous content in the equipment or system. The contract-splitting provision for the tender assigns 64% of the order to Tata Advanced Systems Ltd and 36% to NIBE Pvt Ltd.

Delivery and Deployment

Both companies must deliver the full batch of 840 drones within 12 months from the date of receipt of advance payments. The drones are intended for the Indian Army’s newly reorganised Shaktibaan artillery regiments and Divyastra surveillance and loitering munitions batteries. The contract signing and exchange took place in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

Important Facts for Exams

• Loitering munitions combine surveillance and strike roles in a single platform.
• The Buy (Indian) category is used for procurement with a minimum indigenous content requirement of 60%.
• Fast Track Procedure is used in defence procurement for time-sensitive acquisitions.
• Anti-jamming and anti-spoofing systems help protect drones from electronic warfare threats.

Indian Army Modernisation

Loitering munitions are part of modern precision-strike inventories used by armed forces in several countries. The Indian Army has linked these systems with artillery and surveillance units for battlefield targeting and reconnaissance tasks.