Think of soldiers operating in high-altitude and hostile conflict zones where GPS signals are jammed, communication is disrupted and visibility is compromised. But even then, crucial real-time intelligence must still reach them from the sky. To strengthen such battlefield capabilities, the Indian Army has placed fresh capital emergency procurement orders worth nearly Rs 100 crore for advanced tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
A major portion of this contract, around Rs 75 crore, has been awarded for the newly launched ZOLT Tactical UAV, which recently completed an extensive evaluation process including field trials in electronic warfare environments and strict country-of-origin checks. Introduced at Aero India 2025, ZOLT is designed for long-range ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) operations and precision payload missions.
Additionally, the Army has placed an order valued at about Rs 30 crore for SWITCH V2, a hybrid Vertical Take-Off and Landing – VTOL UAV that is already inducted and battle-tested in ISR operations, especially in challenging terrain and sensitive borders.
Capabilities Driving the Procurement are:
• High-threat and high-altitude operations (HTHA)
• Strong ECCM resilience (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures)
• GNSS-denied autonomy (Global Navigation Satellite System) for jamming-heavy environments
• VTOL versatility (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) for take-off and landing anywhere
• Extended fixed-wing endurance
• Suitable for border surveillance (BS), counter-insurgency (CI) and tactical strike support (TSS)
The platforms have been developed and supplied by ideaForge Technology Ltd, which has been working closely with Indian defence forces to enhance indigenous unmanned capabilities.
“Our investments in next-gen platforms, new categories and GPS and communications resilience are paying off as we deliver on emergency procurement requirements from the Indian Army,” said Ankit Mehta, CEO & Co-Founder, ideaForge Technology Ltd. “This order for ZOLT highlights our commitment to creating secure, AI-driven and mission-ready systems that deliver uncompromising performance in the harshest environments our soldiers operate in.”
He added that the development of ZOLT is the result of long-term planning and innovation. “The platform stems from technological foresight, deep investment in indigenization and electronic warfare resilience.”
The company said it continues to support India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by scaling indigenous UAV manufacturing and strengthening operational deployment across defence needs. With one of the largest UAV deployments in India, ideaForge drones contribute to surveillance, mapping and national security, supporting forces across multiple terrains and missions.
As threats evolve and conflicts grow more complex, the Indian Army is ensuring that its soldiers are never left without a critical eye in the sky, reinforcing India’s battlefield readiness and operational dominance across challenging terrains.
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