Army to Raise Baaz Battalions:
The Indian Army is set to raise specialised drone units called Baaz Battalions to strengthen its unmanned warfare capabilities and expand the use of drones in future military operations.
- Baaz Battalions will be dedicated units focused on operating, managing and sustaining the Army’s growing ecosystem of drones and Remotely Piloted Aircraft systems.
- These Battalions will build on the Army’s existing Remotely Piloted Aircraft Flights and create a specialist cadre of trained drone personnel.
- Baaz Battalions will enhance surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, target tracking and battlefield assessment through specialised drone operations and real-time aerial inputs for frontline units.
- Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) will improve situational awareness, enable faster command decisions, support rapid operational response and reduce risks to personnel in sensitive or hostile areas.
- The initiative reflects lessons from recent conflicts, especially the Russia-Ukraine war, LAC standoffs with China and Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, where drone capabilities proved crucial.
- Baaz Battalions will strengthen border monitoring, drone warfare preparedness, operational readiness along sensitive frontiers and coordination between frontline units and intelligence systems.
