Former Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane has issued a stark call for India to dramatically scale up its industrial capacity, emphasizing the urgent need to produce up to 40,000 drones monthly to prepare for the evolving landscape of future conflicts.
Speaking on the lessons gleaned from contemporary global conflicts, General Naravane asserted that "no two wars are the same." He highlighted that while militaries can learn from past engagements, the next conflict inevitably presents new challenges and surprises. The ability to adapt swiftly to these changing environments, he argued, is paramount for victory, requiring not just mental flexibility but also national-level industrial agility.
Industrial Adaptation: A Lesson from History
General Naravane drew a compelling parallel to World War II, referencing how industrial complexes, initially designed for civilian production like automobiles, were rapidly repurposed to manufacture military hardware such as tanks and aircraft. This historical precedent, he explained, underscores the critical importance of a nation's capacity to transform its production facilities to meet emerging defense needs.
In today's context, this adaptability translates directly to drone manufacturing. "Every second factory in India should be able to make drones," Naravane stated, setting a target of 40,000 drones per month as the scale required for India to effectively respond to technological advancements in warfare.
The Dawn of Drone Warfare: Lessons from 2025
The urgency of this transformation was underscored by the extensive use of unmanned systems in the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, which many defense analysts dubbed the "first true drone war" between the two nations. During this period, both sides deployed a significant number of drones for surveillance, kinetic strikes, and probing defenses.
India notably utilized both imported and indigenously developed loitering munitions, including Israeli Harop and Polish Warmate drones, to target Pakistani air-defense radars and military installations. In response, Pakistan launched hundreds of drones, reportedly including Turkish Bayraktar TB2-type systems, across various locations from Leh to Sir Creek. Indian air defenses successfully intercepted almost all Pakistani drones, though India reported over 790 drone incursions along its western border in 2025 alone, with Pakistan also claiming interceptions of Indian drones targeting key cities.
General Naravane's message is clear: the future of warfare demands an unprecedented level of industrial readiness and the capacity for rapid technological adaptation, with drone production at its forefront.