In a significant boost to India’s maritime surveillance capabilities, Adani Defence and Aerospace has successfully delivered the second Drishti-10 Starliner Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to the Indian Navy. This delivery follows closely on the heels of the first unit provided earlier this year, reinforcing India’s commitment to expanding its indigenous defence production and surveillance footprint across strategic waters.
The Drishti-10 Starliner is a high-endurance, long-range drone equipped with cutting-edge electro-optical systems, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and advanced communication payloads. Designed to operate day and night under various weather conditions, it plays a vital role in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Its deployment by the Indian Navy is expected to significantly enhance the country’s ability to monitor the vast and dynamic Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a critical theatre for trade routes, submarine movement, and geopolitical activity.
Manufactured under a technology partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Drishti-10 Starliner is based on the Heron TP platform and is modified to comply with India’s Make in India and Atma Nirbhar Bharat goals. The drone is capable of operating for over 36 hours continuously, covering thousands of kilometers in a single sortie, thus giving the Indian Navy a powerful eye in the sky that can detect, track, and assess threats over both sea and coastal areas.
The delivery of the second unit marks the formal beginning of the integration of this drone into routine naval surveillance operations. Naval officials have lauded the performance of the first Drishti-10 already in use, which has conducted successful monitoring over high-traffic maritime corridors, Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), and even provided data in response to disaster management scenarios. With the second drone now operational, the Navy is expected to establish round-the-clock aerial coverage in multiple sectors simultaneously.
What makes the Drishti-10 particularly significant is its advanced level of autonomy. It features automated takeoff and landing, programmable flight plans, and intelligent mission control systems. These capabilities reduce human intervention, minimize operational risk, and allow for a lean deployment of ground crews. Additionally, the drone's secure satellite communication ensures seamless data transmission in real time to command and control centers, enabling quick decision-making.
Adani Defence’s growing role in India’s UAV ecosystem underlines a larger shift toward private-sector participation in defence manufacturing. The company has rapidly emerged as a key player in aerospace and strategic technologies, with the Drishti-10 Starliner program serving as a flagship initiative. The drones are being assembled at Adani’s Hyderabad-based facility, one of the largest integrated drone manufacturing complexes in South Asia.
During the delivery handover, senior Navy officers and officials from Adani Defence emphasized the significance of indigenous capability building. The Navy, which traditionally relied on imported UAVs, is now placing greater emphasis on domestic assembly, support, and eventual manufacturing. This delivery also comes at a time when India is revamping its maritime doctrine to account for increased activity by Chinese vessels, the need to secure offshore assets, and the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region.
The Drishti-10 Starliner also provides a unique edge due to its versatility. It can be rapidly deployed for missions ranging from maritime border patrolling and anti-piracy to environmental monitoring, search-and-rescue, and disaster response. Its powerful radar systems can detect movement over water and land, distinguish between civilian and military vessels, and even track submerged objects like submarines, offering an unparalleled advantage in asymmetric warfare and maritime domain awareness.
The Indian Navy is not the only beneficiary of this platform. Reports suggest that discussions are underway for similar deployments by the Indian Coast Guard and other security agencies responsible for border and coastal surveillance. Given the increasing incidents of smuggling, unauthorized fishing, and intrusion along India's maritime frontiers, such an asset could prove invaluable for law enforcement and strategic deterrence.
From a technological standpoint, the Drishti-10 stands as a testament to the integration of global innovation with domestic execution. While the core UAV system is derived from Israeli technology, the incorporation of Indian subsystems, ground control integration, and future upgrade pathways ensure that the platform is being increasingly localized. Adani Defence has indicated plans to scale up the level of indigenous content, including avionics, engines, and data analytics systems, as part of its long-term road map.
The drone also contributes to India’s aspirations in drone-based data analytics and AI-driven defence networks. Data collected by the UAVs is processed through high-speed AI-based platforms that can identify threat patterns, classify objects, and generate predictive surveillance models. Such developments will play a crucial role in shaping future warfare paradigms, especially in a region like the Indian Ocean where non-traditional threats like cyber warfare and grey-zone operations are on the rise.
While the Drishti-10 program is a major achievement, it also highlights the growing necessity for India to invest in an integrated, multi-tiered UAV ecosystem. As adversaries adopt drone swarms, loitering munitions, and autonomous systems, India’s focus on Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) drones must be accompanied by investments in counter-drone technologies, satellite connectivity, and regulatory frameworks that ensure operational safety and sovereignty.
In conclusion, the delivery of the second Drishti-10 Starliner drone by Adani Defence to the Indian Navy marks a strong forward step in India’s journey toward a self-reliant defence sector and robust maritime security posture. As these drones begin patrolling India’s vast maritime borders with advanced sensors and unmatched endurance, they symbolize not just surveillance capabilities but the convergence of vision, technology, and national security. In an era where information and agility are decisive, the Drishti-10 offers the Indian Navy exactly what its name suggests—clarity of vision and sharp, unwavering focus.
