India’s robotics and drone ecosystem is rapidly indigenising under the PLI for drones and the Drone Rules 2021. Examine the policy framework and the dual-use security implications.

Introduction: The Drone Rules 2021 were notified by MoCA on 25 August 2021, replacing the restrictive 2018 framework; the PLI for drones has an outlay of ₹120 crore over FY22-24; the domestic drone market reached ~US$1.4 billion in 2024 with steady year-on-year growth.

Body: First, the policy stack — Digital Sky platform for registrations, type certification by QCI, and NPNT (No Permission No Take-off) compliance; airspace zoned green-yellow-red for operator-friendly clearances. Second, achievements — Namo Drone Didi scheme delivers 15,000 drones to women SHGs for kisan spraying; Garuda Aerospace and ideaForge have IPO'd or scaled rapidly; Kisan drones support precision agriculture. Third, dual-use risks — the Jammu airbase drone attack on 27 June 2021 exposed counter-drone gaps; DRDO Smash 2000 systems deploy at sensitive sites.

Way forward: Notify a Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems policy, allocate spectrum for BVLOS, tighten export controls on dual-use components, and license foreign-origin sub-systems under MoCA by 2028.