Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries India, delivered 450 Nagastra-1R loitering munitions to the Indian Army on 13 and 14 October 2026. The supply is the largest single-batch delivery of loitering munitions to the Army by a manufacturer.
Procurement and delivery
The Indian Army placed an order worth approximately ₹158 crore with SDAL under an emergency procurement contract in June 2025. The contract followed technical trials held in March 2025, in which four companies participated. SDAL was the only company to demonstrate all the required operational parameters. The delivery follows an earlier contract for 480 Nagastra-1 loitering munitions. Solar Industries completed that supply to the Indian Army by December 2024. The Nagastra-1R is a subsequent version with a higher stated level of indigenous content.
Nagastra-1R features
The Nagastra-1R is an indigenously developed loitering munition, also described as a kamikaze drone. It is configured for the Indian Army’s short-range operational requirements and can carry out precision strikes. Its abort-and-recovery option allows the system to be recalled rather than used against a target. The Nagastra-1R has more than 80% indigenous content, compared with more than 75% for the Nagastra-1. Indigenous content refers to the proportion of a system’s components or value produced within the country. The supplied facts do not specify the munition’s range, endurance, warhead weight or operating altitude.
Loitering munitions and military use
A loitering munition is an unmanned aerial system designed to remain airborne over an area before striking a target. It combines aerial surveillance and target engagement within one system. Unlike a conventional missile, which is generally launched towards a known target, a loitering munition can wait in the air before an engagement decision is made. The Nagastra-1R’s short-range configuration adds a precision-strike option to the Indian Army’s capabilities. Its recovery feature distinguishes it from systems designed to be expended in every mission.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Indian Army’s Nagastra-1R order was valued at approximately ₹158 crore.
- Four companies took part in the Nagastra-1R technical trials held in March 2025.
- The Nagastra-1R has more than 80% indigenous content, while the Nagastra-1 has more than 75%.
- Solar Industries delivered 480 Nagastra-1 loitering munitions to the Indian Army by December 2024.
The Nagastra-1R is designed for short-range operations and offers an abort-and-recovery option. Its October 2026 delivery comprised 450 systems.
