- India is accelerating its long-range low-cost strike drone projects after the Iran-Israel war began
- Sheshnaag drone recently underwent highway launch trials amid increased military urgency
- Project KAL drone, similar to Iran's Shahed, is also being fast-tracked for deployment
The large-scale use of the Shahed series of low-cost drones by Iran in its war with Israel has added urgency and accelerated India's long-range low-cost strike drone projects.
NDTV accessed new images of India's Sheshnaag drone in its latest highway launch trials last week, conducted after the Iran-Israel war began.
Another Indian Shahed-type drone called Project KAL has also been unveiled, and is being put on the fast track.
In the war in the Middle East, waves after waves of Shahed series drones have demonstrated how low-cost unmanned systems can overwhelm air defences and strike targets deep inside hostile territory.
This situation has triggered fresh urgency among India's military planners to accelerate homegrown drone capabilities.
The Sheshnaag strike drone
Against this backdrop, both the Sheshnaag system and the Project KAL long-range strike drones are reportedly undergoing accelerated testing cycles, including unconventional launch scenarios such as highway operations, to meet fast-evolving operational requirements.
The push reflects a broader recognition within the Indian military that long-range strike drones are no longer niche capabilities but essential tools of modern warfare, and India is moving quickly to ensure comparable systems are ready for deployment as soon as possible.
On March 3, NDTV had reported that the Sheshnaag-150 has been quietly but steadily making headway in development testing. The long-range swarming attack drone, built from scratch by Bengaluru-based defence startup Newspace Research Technologies (NRT), first flew a year ago.
But in the wake of Operation Sindoor, during which NRT was called upon by the Indian military to deploy some of its other drone capabilities at the warfront, the urgency around a mature, home-grown, long-range swarming strike capability has sharpened dramatically.
With an operational range of over 1,000 km and endurance exceeding five hours, the Sheshnaag-150 can loiter over target areas, providing real-time surveillance and attack options. It is capable of autonomously identifying, tracking, and engaging enemy targets with minimal or no human intervention, and can carry warheads of 25-40 kg, sufficient to cause serious damage to infrastructure, vehicles, or personnel.
