New Delhi: IG Defence has shown the first glimpse of Project KAL, an indigenous long-range strike drone. Long-range one-way attack drones have emerged as a defining feature of modern warfare. Platforms such as the Iranian Shahed-136 have drawn global attention for their ability to carry explosive payloads across long distances at relatively low cost, particularly in the ongoing escalation involving Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other, where waves of drones and missiles have been launched across the region.
Shahed-class drones can be produced relatively cheaply and deployed in large numbers, overwhelming air defence systems and forcing adversaries to expend far more expensive interceptor missiles. This sharp cost imbalance has highlighted how relatively inexpensive unmanned systems can impose disproportionate operational and financial pressure on advanced defence networks.
Against this backdrop, IG Defence’s Project KAL is aimed at developing a Made-in-India long-range strike unmanned platform designed to expand the country’s indigenous combat drone capabilities.
The system is being envisioned as a deep-penetration strike platform capable of operating far beyond the frontline. With a projected range of up to 1,000 kilometres and an endurance of approximately three to five hours, the drone is expected to travel deep into contested environments while remaining airborne long enough to observe target areas, adapt its flight profile if required, and execute strikes at the most effective moment.
Designed to carry a high-explosive payload, the platform is intended to engage high-value targets such as strategic infrastructure, logistics hubs, radar installations, and other critical military assets. Such capabilities could offer armed forces a scalable and cost-effective option for long-range precision strikes while significantly reducing risk to personnel in high-threat environments.
Commenting on the development, Maj Gen R C Padhi (Retd.), Senior Vice President, IG Defence, said, “Unmanned systems are rapidly transforming the character of modern warfare. Recent developments in the Middle East, particularly the ongoing conflict involving Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other, have once again demonstrated how long-range strike drones can influence operational strategies by combining reach, persistence, and cost efficiency.”
Adding further, he said, “In such an evolving security environment, it becomes important for countries to steadily build and extend indigenous capabilities. With Project KAL, our objective is for home-grown capability in this emerging category and contribute to India’s growing defence innovation ecosystem. Developing such technologies within the country will strengthen strategic autonomy while advancing the broader vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in advanced defence manufacturing.”
While the project is currently in the early stages, the initial glimpse shared by the company signals its intention to enter a new category of unmanned combat platforms. IG Defence has indicated that further details on Project KAL will be shared in the coming months as development progresses.
The project reflects the company’s growing focus on advanced unmanned combat technologies and its contribution to strengthening India’s defence innovation ecosystem under the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
