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27 October 2025

Army equips 380 infantry battalions with 'Ashney' drone platoons


The Indian Army is enhancing its combat readiness. Infantry battalions are now equipped with drone platoons featuring surveillance and armed drones. Elite commando units, known as Bhairav battalions, are being established for special operations. The Army is also procuring new battle carbines and upgrading anti-tank weapons. These advancements aim to bolster the force's capabilities along the northern and western frontiers.

Three hundred eighty infantry battalions of the Indian Army have been equipped with drone platoons while elite commando units are being raised as part of a modernisation drive to bolster the force's combat capabilities along the northern and western frontiers.

Lt Gen Ajay Kumar, the director general of infantry, said this while highlighting steps to enhance the strike capabilities of the infantry units.


The Army is also procuring 4.25 lakh battle carbines at a cost of Rs 2,770 crore as part of the infantry modernisation plan, he told reporters.

Lt Gen Kumar said each of the 380 infantry battalions now has an Ashney (fire) drone platoon that comprises at least four surveillance drones and six are of armed category.

The armed drones will include Kamikaze drones and precision ammunition dropping unmanned aerial vehicles, he said, explaining how the Army is initiating measures to boost the combat capabilities of the infantry battalions.

The Army has already raised five elite Bhairav batellions with nearly 250 soldiers each and it plans to have a total of 25 such battalions within next six months. These battalions are being raised for special operations and are likely to be a bridge between regular infantry and the elite para-special forces.

"Five battalions of Bhairav have already been raised. They have already been deployed in the area of intended operations and on the job training is going on from October 1," the director general said.

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