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Govt plans design, development of unmanned combat search and rescue aircraft

April 08, 2026 4 min read Internal Security Science & Technology GS3 (Internal Security Science & Technology)
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What Happened

  • The government has envisioned the design and development of an Unmanned Combat Search and Rescue (UCSAR) aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF)
  • The project is designed to enable rescue of downed aircrew in hostile territory without risking piloted aircraft
  • The project has been "approved in principle" under the Make-I category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020
  • Domestic defence firms have been given a deadline of April 30, 2026, to submit proposals
  • The aircraft is also envisaged for logistics and supply missions into forward areas and inhospitable terrains such as snow-bound heights where conventional helicopters face limitations

Static Topic Bridges

Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020

DAP 2020 is India's comprehensive defence procurement framework, effective from October 1, 2020, replacing the earlier Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016. It is aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and aims to build a self-reliant defence industrial base. DAP 2020 restructured procurement categories to promote indigenous design, development, and manufacturing.

  • Effective from: October 1, 2020; released by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh
  • Indigenous Content (IC) requirement raised from 40% to 50% across most procurement categories
  • Make-I category: Government-funded design and development projects for big-ticket indigenous platforms; government funds up to 70% of prototype development cost
  • Make-II category: Industry-funded projects; no government funding for prototype development
  • Buy (Indian-IDDM): Highest preference category — Indigenous Design, Developed and Manufactured; minimum 50% IC required
  • DAC (Defence Acquisition Council), chaired by the Defence Minister, is the apex body for procurement decisions; CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) approves expenditure above threshold

Connection to this news: The UCSAR aircraft project is being progressed under the Make-I category, meaning DRDO or eligible defence firms can receive government funding to develop prototypes, with procurement following through the Buy (Indian) route after successful development.

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) — India's Programme

India is building an indigenous UCAV capability to reduce dependence on manned aircraft for high-risk missions. The flagship programme is the DRDO Ghatak (meaning "Deadly" in Sanskrit), a stealth flying-wing UCAV developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) under DRDO.

  • DRDO Ghatak: Stealth UCAV with flying-wing configuration; payload capacity of 1.5 tonnes; combat radius exceeding 1,000 km; ceiling of 9,100 m (30,000 ft)
  • Weight: Under 15 tonnes; powered by a variant of the Kaveri turbofan engine
  • On March 27, 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared procurement of 60 Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft (RPSA / Ghatak class) at an estimated cost of ₹39,000 crore
  • The UCSAR programme addresses a different need — Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) — distinct from the strike-focused Ghatak; it is specifically designed to be runway-independent for operations in mountainous and forward areas
  • India's earlier UAV milestones: Rustom-II (medium-altitude long-endurance), Tapas (surveillance), Archer (armed variant)

Connection to this news: The UCSAR aircraft represents a niche capability gap — autonomous rescue of pilots in denied territory — which manned helicopters cannot fill due to crew risk. This complements the broader unmanned force being built for the IAF.

Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) — Concept and Strategic Significance

CSAR refers to the retrieval of downed military aircrew from behind enemy lines or hostile territory. Traditionally requiring manned helicopters and special forces teams, CSAR is one of the most hazardous military operations because rescue aircraft and personnel are exposed to the same threats that caused the initial aircraft loss.

  • Conventional CSAR involves manned helicopters (e.g., India uses Mi-17V5 for some CSAR missions), special forces extraction teams, and fighter escort
  • An unmanned CSAR platform can operate in denied airspace without risking additional crew, fundamentally changing the risk calculus
  • Strategic relevance: In high-altitude border regions (LAC with China, Siachen), conventional helicopter CSAR is severely constrained by altitude performance limits; an unmanned platform can overcome these limitations
  • Dual-use: The platform is also envisaged for logistics resupply in forward areas, giving it utility beyond pure CSAR missions

Connection to this news: The UCSAR project directly addresses the CSAR gap in Indian military capability, particularly relevant in the context of the two-front threat (China and Pakistan) and high-altitude operations along the LAC and LoC.

Key Facts & Data

  • Programme category: Make-I under DAP 2020 (government-funded prototype development)
  • Status: Approved in principle; proposal submission deadline from industry: April 30, 2026
  • Intended user: Indian Air Force (IAF)
  • Primary mission: Rescue of downed aircrew without risking piloted aircraft
  • Secondary mission: Logistics and supply in forward/inhospitable areas
  • Related programme: DRDO Ghatak UCAV — 60 units cleared by DAC on March 27, 2026 at ₹39,000 crore
  • India's existing UAV inventory: Heron (Israel, surveillance), Predator/MQ-9B (USA, 31 units being acquired), SkyStriker (loitering munition)
  • DAP 2020 IC requirement: Minimum 50% indigenous content across most categories