The Indian Armed Forces are acquiring additional satellite-linked Heron Mk II drones through an emergency procurement route, based on their impressive performance during Operation Sindoor.
Citing Israeli defence industry sources, the Indian media reported that the Army and Air Force, which have already been operating the Heron Mk-IIs acquired after the 2020 Galwan clash, are now being joined by the Navy in fresh orders.
Under the emergency procurement clause, each service can sign contracts up to ₹300 crore (about $33.4 million) directly and instantly, bypassing the long and complex procurement process. Nonetheless, there is currently no information on the number of drones that each service has decided to purchase.
The Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI), the manufacturer of the heroic Heron Mk-II unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), could potentially transfer technology for the local production of an Indian variant of the drone.
In addition to this procurement, India has initiated a drive to acquire 87 more Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) UAVs under the Make in India initiative.
The RFP (Request for proposal) was sent to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and ELCOM, which have tied up with Israel’s IAI; to Adani Aerospace and Defence, which has partnered with Elbit; and to Larsen & Toubro, which has joined hands with the US company General Atomics (GA).
The program places strong emphasis on comprehensive technology transfer and a minimum of 60% indigenous content, fully aligning with India’s Indigenous Content (IC) requirements for locally manufactured Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
It mandates the transfer of critical know-how in airframe assembly, avionics integration, mission payloads, electro-optical/infrared sensors, radars, electronic intelligence/communication intelligence systems, and long-term maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, thereby ensuring substantial indigenisation and self-reliance in this strategic domain.
Israel has remained reluctant to share sensitive drone technologies with India since talks began in 2016, stalling co-production efforts. In early February 2020, it was reported that IAI & HAL would sign a contract to manufacture Heron TP drones in India.
The agreement was to be signed during DefExpo 2020, with 100 drones projected to be manufactured to meet the requirements of the defence services. However, the talks later fell apart.
IAF veteran and military commentator, Squadron Leader Vijainder K. Thakur (retd), believes that “One possible explanation for India’s renewed interest in locally manufacturing the Heron Mk2 could be the DRDO’s recent success in developing weaponisation technologies, including sensors, drone-launched PGMs [precision guided missiles], and drone-based weapon-launch computer systems.”
For one, this may help IAI comply with RFP terms, positioning them as a frontrunner over competitors like US firm General Atomics, which may offer the MQ-series of drones. Additionally, it will expand IAI’s market share in India’s growing defence sector, valued at billions of dollars, and further help take defence cooperation to new heights.
Defence ties between India and Israel have evolved over the last three decades. A pivotal moment came during the 1999 Kargil War, when Israel provided direct military aid, including laser-guided missiles and UAVs, despite international pressures, positioning Israel as a reliable partner.
Over the past three decades, this relationship has grown into one of the most robust defence collaborations, with Israel emerging as one of India’s top arms suppliers. In fact, India was the largest recipient of Israeli arms exports, receiving 34% of Israel’s total exports during 2020–2024, according to a report published by SIPRI this year.
By offering technology transfer, Israel (with the help of its military contractor) may be looking to deepen its military alliance with India, potentially unlocking future deals and countering export restrictions on advanced technology.
If India goes ahead with the Heron Mk-II for its MALE UAV contract, it would be a massive breakthrough for IAI, which has delivered Arrow-3 systems to Germany.
The Heron Has A Crash History
The Heron-2 is an advanced medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) primarily for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and target acquisition missions. Developed for the Israeli Air Force, the Heron-2 is also used for strike and reconnaissance missions.
It has a 45-hour endurance, a 35,000 ft service ceiling, and a 1,000+ kilometre range without refuelling, which are critical for sustained monitoring over extended periods and distances. It is believed to have performed “very well” during India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.
On May 7, 2025, the day the operation was launched, a Heron Mk-II drone successfully entered Pakistani airspace, providing live high-resolution video feeds and imagery of missile strikes on the targeted terror centres. According to reports, the drone’s satellite communication (SATCOM) capability enabled beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) control, allowing operators to maintain continuous oversight deep into enemy territory.
Equipped with advanced electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, radars, electronic intelligence (ELINT), communications intelligence (COMINT), and electronic support measures (ESM), the Heron Mk-II not only documented the strikes but also contributed to strategic planning, threat assessment, and post-strike battle damage assessment. It integrated into India’s ISR matrix, supporting both surveillance and potential strike missions in a single sortie.
It was also deployed during the ‘Operation Rising Lion’ launched by Israel against Iran in June 2025. The drone was used for persistent ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) over Iranian airspace, enabling real-time targeting for manned aircraft and missile strikes.
India’s decision to expand its purchase of these Israeli drones is directly linked to the Heron Mk-II’s impeccable performance against Pakistan during Op Sindoor, despite a long history of crashes.
For instance, the IAF had to make an emergency landing of the Heron Searcher drone in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in November 2025. The incident was attributed to a technical malfunction. India has been operating this class of drones for about two decades now.
In April this year, a Heron Mk-2 belonging to the Indian Army crashed into an IAF tower at the high-security technical airport in Satwari, Jammu.
“One UAV—Heron MK 2 of the Indian Army crashed at Air Force Station during a routine sortie this afternoon. A DSC personnel identified as Naik Surinder Pal has been seriously injured in the accident. He has been admitted to Military Hospital in Satwari,” an official was quoted as saying at the time.
In March 2025, a South Korean Heron UAV Mk-II collided with a parked KUH-1 Surion helicopter during a landing attempt, destroying the helicopter. There were no human casualties, but the incident apparently highlighted integration risks in shared airspaces.
Before that, in November 2024, a Heron Mk-1 had crashed as it was conducting surveillance following North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.
India has experienced several other Heron UAV crashes over the years, often attributed to technical failures, human error, or loss of contact with ground control stations.
As of 2024, India recorded 12 Heron Mk-1 crashes primarily attributed to human error, engine failures, loss of ground control station (GCS) contact, or technical malfunctions.
These occurred across all three services and were mostly within Indian territory, with one notable cross-border incident in 2017 when the UAV lost contact with its Ground Control Station mid-flight and veered off course into Tibet and crashed.
The first Heron Mk-1s delivered to India between 2002–2010 had basic datalinks and no SATCOM or full ATOL. Many crashes from this period were due to classic “loss of link and uncontrolled descent” events. This has been largely fixed in the Mk-II variant, thanks to fully redundant avionics and automatic takeoff and landing (ATOL).
Even with 14 losses over 23 years, the Heron drone fleet in India has maintained a mission availability rate consistently above 85–90% and an outstanding combat record. This is at par with the American MQ-9.
Moreover, it is not uncommon for drones to crash. For instance, the MQ-9 Reaper drone, widely regarded as one of the most advanced and combat-successful drones in the world, has experienced multiple crashes. The US forces have lost multiple Reapers in their campaign against the Yemen-based Houthis militia.
Drones, for one, are cheaper than manned fighter jets, which is their greatest appeal in combat. While sophisticated drones like Heron Mk-2 are more expensive than mass-produced kamikaze drones, FPVs (First Person View), and loitering munitions, they are still significantly cheaper than fighter jets.
The Indian Armed Forces now explicitly treats MALE/HALE UAVs as critical force multipliers for persistent ISR, maritime domain awareness, high-altitude strike coordination, and artillery fire correction.
Buying the Heron Mk-2 aligns with India’s preparation for combat with its two adversaries across the border at a time when modern warfare is dominated by the proliferation of drones.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
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