Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan used a workshop-cum-exhibition on UAV and Counter-UAS indigenisation at New Delhi’s Manekshaw Centre on 16 July to warn that India must accelerate development of home-grown counter-drone technologies. Visiting displays of locally designed components that are still largely sourced from foreign manufacturers, Chauhan argued that reliance on imported “niche tech crucial for our missions” weakens preparedness, supply chains and operational flexibility. Calling drones an evolutionary innovation whose battlefield employment has proved “revolutionary,” the four-star general said recent conflicts show unmanned systems can shift the tactical balance “disproportionately.” “We can’t win today’s warfare with yesterday’s weapons,” he told officers and defence planners, framing the rise of data-driven, AI-enabled and unmanned platforms as the “third revolution” in modern combat. Chauhan cited Operation Sindoor—launched on 7 May when Pakistani forces sent unarmed drones and loitering munitions across the border—as a case in point. Indian units neutralised most of the aircraft, some of which were recovered intact, but the incident underscored vulnerabilities below 15,000 feet, a layer he said is now “highly congested” with inexpensive, hard-to-detect systems. The CDS urged Indian industry and the military to field indigenous counter-UAS capabilities that combine kinetic and non-kinetic defences and to rework doctrines, training and organisational structures accordingly. “Tomorrow’s technology must fight tomorrow’s wars,” he said, adding that sustained investment in domestic manufacturing and R&D will be critical to safeguarding India’s airspace and ensuring self-reliance in future conflicts.