Critically examine why robust electronic warfare capabilities are essential for the Indian Navy to counter evolving asymmetric threats, like drone swarms, in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Ocean Region is facing a sharper mix of asymmetric threats, especially low-cost drones, drone swarms and uncrewed maritime vehicles. For the Indian Navy, robust electronic warfare is no longer a support function; it is central to ship survival, mission success and sea control.

• Why the threat is serious
  • Drone attacks in the Red Sea and Northern Arabian Sea show how non-state actors can disrupt shipping and trade.
  • The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region recorded rising drone incidents in recent years, showing the trend is worsening.
  • Such threats may also include piracy, maritime terrorism, cyber-attacks, smuggling and illegal fishing.
• Why conventional defence is not enough
  • Drone swarms can overwhelm radars and air defences through numbers and low cost.
  • They can force the Navy to spend expensive missiles on cheap targets, causing unsustainable attrition.
  • Even when not sinking a ship, they can produce “mission kills” by blinding sensors, jamming links or disrupting command systems.
• Role of electronic warfare
  • EW provides detection, classification, jamming and deception against radars, missiles, drones and hostile communications.
  • Soft-kill systems such as anti-drone jammers and high-power microwave weapons offer a cost-effective response.
  • AI-enabled EW improves real-time threat recognition and response in a dense maritime battlespace.
• Indian relevance
  • Indigenous systems like Shakti, NADS and planned GNSS jammers strengthen ship and base protection.
  • Future warships will need greater electric power and integration for advanced EW and directed energy weapons.

However, EW alone is not sufficient. It must be paired with sensors, hard-kill systems, cyber defence and trained crews. In the IOR’s grey-zone environment, strong electronic warfare is essential for deterrence, survivability and maritime security.