Since the India-Pakistan cross-border tension has entered into a drone war situation, with both sides claiming to intercept each other’s drones, there is a critical difference in terms of quantity, capability, and origin of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). While both nuclear powers integrated UAVs into their military arsenals for multiple purposes, their operational effectiveness remains unproven for drone warfare.
In terms of quantity, India’s inventory includes approximately 200 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs, 980 mini-UAVs, and various in-procurement variants. Meanwhile, Pakistan possesses a smaller fleet of around 60 MALE UAVs, 60 navy UAVs, 70 air force tactical UAVs, 100 army tactical UAVs, and some mini-UAVs. Although exact figures vary across sources; however, the overall numerical gap between the two neighbouring countries remains evident.
Diverging Procurement Origins
In recent years, India and Pakistan have spearheaded the development of indigenous UAV programs. However, the majority of their drone fleet remains largely reliant on imports. It indicates distinct strategic and procurement preferences of both countries. India primarily sources its UAVs from Israel and the United States, leveraging advanced platforms such as the Heron series and the MQ-9B SeaGuardian. In contrast, Pakistan’s UAV inventory is predominantly composed of Turkish and Chinese systems, including models like the Bayraktar TB2 and the CH-4.
Technological Polarity
Although both India and Pakistan have advanced UAVs, their operational utility, combat effectiveness, and technological sophistication reveal notable disparities. India possesses some of the latest Israeliloitering munitions such as the Harop and Harpy, designed for precision strikes and electronic warfare roles. Meanwhile, Pakistan operates the widely acclaimed Turkish-origin Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, which have demonstrated battlefield success in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. These differences reflect not only divergent procurement strategies but also varying levels of integration and battlefield experience. Some of the key UAVs from both countries include:
India’s UAVs
Harpy
Feature
Details
Type
Loitering munition,
Company
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
Mission
SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) and DEAD (Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses)
Operation
Fully autonomous; operates in “fire-and-forget” mode
Targeting system
Anti-radiation seeker that detects and homes in on radar emissions
Loitering Time
Up to 9 hours
Range
up to 500 km
Warhead
32 kg of high-explosive
Cost
$4 million per unit
Harop
Feature
Details
Type
Loitering munition with surveillance and strike capabilities
Developer
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
Loitering Time
Up to 9 hours
Operational Range
Up to 1,000 km, enabling deep standoff attacks
Payload
23 kg high-explosive warhead
Launch Platforms
Canister-launched from land vehicles, naval vessels, and configured for air-launch
Jamming Resistance
Immune to GNSS/satellite navigation jamming for contested environments
Attack Profile
Can engage from multiple angles and return if target not found to reduce collateral damage
MQ-9 Reaper
Feature
Details
Manufacturer
General Atomics (USA)
Role
Armed reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision strike
Combat History
Extensively used in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria
Payload Capacity
Up to 1,700 kg (can carry missiles, bombs, and sensors)
Endurance
27 hours
Range
1,850 km (with satellite control for global operations)
Sensor Suite
Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Lynx Multimode Radar, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), 161 embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems, 35 L3 Rio Grande communications and intelligence sensor suites
Variants Acquired by India
MQ-9B SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian
Purchase Cost
Approx. $32 million per unit (excluding cost of missiles and advanced sensors)
Rustom-II
Feature
Details
Developer
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India
Role
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); future strike capabilities
Payload Capacity
350 kg (includes EO sensors and Synthetic Aperture Radar)
Endurance
12 hours
Range
180–200 km (with planned upgrades to extend significantly)
Airframe includes 3mm Kevlar and Carbon Fibre Composite (CFC) for reduced radar signature
Weapons Capability
Compatible with Helina Anti-Guided Tank Missiles (AGTM) and laser-guided rockets
Purchase Cost
$5–6 million per unit
Maintenance Cost
20–30% lower than imported drones due to indigenous production and supply chains
Lifecycle
12–15 years
Operational Status
Under testing and induction phase; reflects India’s focus on self-reliance in drone technology
Pakistan’s UAVs
Bayraktar Akıncı
Feature
Details
Origin
Turkey
Class
High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Combat UAV
Primary Role
Air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions
Length
12.2 meters
Height
4.1 meters
Wingspan
20 meters
Maximum Take-Off Weight
6,000 kg
Payload Capacity
1,500 kg (includes missiles, precision-guided munitions, and sensors)
Operational Ceiling
40,000 feet
Armament Capability
Equipped with a wide array of missiles (air-to-air and air-to-ground)
Significance
One of the most advanced combat drones in Pakistan’s UAV inventory
Bayraktar TB2
Feature
Details
Type
Tactical Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Origin
Turkey
Manufacturer
Baykar Technologies
Length
6.5 meters
Wingspan
12 meters
Maximum Take-Off Weight
700 kg
Payload Capacity
150 kg (can carry precision-guided munitions and ISR equipment)
Cruising Speed
130 km/h
Maximum Speed
220 km/h
Endurance
Up to 27 hours
Operational Altitude
18,000 feet (5,486 meters)
Primary Roles
Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance (ISTAR), and strike missions
Armament Capability
Equipped with MAM-L and MAM-C smart micro munitions
Notable Combat Use
Played a major role in conflicts like Libya, Syria, and the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
CH-4
Feature
Details
Type
Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Combat UAV
Origin
China
Manufacturer
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
Length
8.5 meters
Wingspan
18 meters
Maximum Take-Off Weight
1,330 kg
Payload Capacity
345 kg
Endurance
Up to 40 hours (CH-4A for ISR), 14 hours (CH-4B for combat)
Operational Ceiling
26,000 feet (approximately 8,000 meters)
Range
2,000–5,000 km depending on version and satellite link
Cruising Speed
180 km/h
Primary Roles
Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and precision strike missions
Armament Capability
Can carry guided bombs and air-to-surface missiles (AR-1, FT-9, HJ-10, etc.)
Shahpar
Feature
Details
Type
Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Developer
Global Industrial Defence Solutions (GIDS) in collaboration with NESCOM
Fuselage Length
4.2 meters
Wingspan
6.6 meters
Cruising Speed
150 km/h
Operational Endurance
Over 7 hours
Maximum Take-Off Weight
480 kg
Operational Altitude
Up to 5,000 meters
Primary Roles
Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and disaster response
In 2021, Pakistan unveiled an advanced variant, Shahpar II. This new model exhibits multiple improvements, especially in endurance and operational altitude. In 2024, Pakistan unveiled another variant, Shahpar-III, having Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and multi-role combat missions.
