Adani’s Drishti 10 Starliner Crash: A Major Setback Or India’s Bold Leap In Defence Self-Reliance?

A medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone, the Drishti 10 Starliner, recently crashed off the Porbandar coast in Gujarat during pre-acceptance trials conducted by Adani Defence and Aerospace. This incident has brought much attention since the drone was meant for the Indian Navy and marks a critical component of India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The incident raises questions regarding the reliability of defence platforms that are manufactured in the country, especially those produced in collaboration with foreign partners.

Overview of the Drishti 10 Starliner

The Drishti 10 Starliner drone, manufactured at Adani Defence and Aerospace’s Hyderabad facility, is a product of technology transfer from Israel’s Elbit Systems. It is a variant of the Hermes 900 Starliner and constitutes a significant strategic move by India for furthering ISR capability. Capable of remaining airborne for up to 36 hours, with a maximum payload of 450 kilograms and three points on the platform where weapons may be added, this multi-role DRISTHI-10 is versatile and can undertake various missions in varying weather conditions.

The drone is 70% Indigenous, reflecting India’s focus on reducing dependence on foreign defence imports. It is already in limited service with the Indian Navy, which inducted a unit last year. The Navy and Army had each ordered two units under emergency procurement measures to strengthen ISR capabilities in response to evolving geopolitical challenges.

Details of the Crash

The manufacturer operated the crashed drone during its acceptance trials, a standard procedure before delivery to the Indian Navy. Each Drishti 10 Starliner system costs approximately ₹145 crore. After the crash, Adani Defence recovered the drone, and investigations are ongoing to pinpoint the cause of the failure.

This is the second high-profile crash of an MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft, which the Navy had leased from the U.S. The previous one was ditched in the Bay of Bengal after a technical glitch on a surveillance mission. Such incidents highlight the challenges of deploying such advanced aerial platforms in demanding operational environments.

Strategic Context and Significance

The Drishti 10 Starliner is an element of far more impressive modernizing of Indian defence, especially at sea. In response to China’s fast-growing influence across the Indian Ocean Region, it has enhanced India’s intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance in the Indian Ocean. China’s growing naval activity and strategic moves to increase its influence in the area are the greatest threat to India’s ability to restore control and establish a free maritime security order.

India has also been working towards building its warship-building capacity and maritime posturing. Currently, sixty warships are being constructed across Indian shipyards since the country aspires to be ‘Atmanirbhar’ in defence manufacturing by 2047. One of the landmarks is the inducting of Drishti 10 Starliner into the Navy’s operational fleet, as the force has acquired a bespoke platform tailored to its requirements.

Broader Implications of the Incident

The crash of the Drishti 10 Starliner has broader implications for India’s defence ecosystem:

1. Reliability Concerns: The accident raises questions about the reliability of the domestic defence systems. Though achieving 70% indigenous content is laudable, such an incident underlines the need for proper testing and quality control at every step.
2. Impact on Indigenization Efforts: The Drishti 10 Starliner is the first significant defence platform delivered by Adani Defence and Aerospace to the Indian military. Its success or failure will influence perceptions of India’s ability to develop cutting-edge defence technology indigenously.
3. Collaborations with Foreign Partners: The drone is based on technology that Israel’s Elbit Systems shares. This incident could potentially trigger a reevaluation of agreements over technology sharing and using foreign systems in local projects.
4. Operational Readiness: The crash delays the introduction of an essential capability into the Navy’s ISR collection, which would impact their preparedness to face growing regional threats.

Lessons from Recent Incidents

The Drishti 10 Starliner crash occurred as the Indian Navy invested heavily in fleet modernization and upgrading its capabilities. Last week, India sealed a $3.5 billion deal with the United States to purchase 31 MQ-9B drones, indicating how unmanned aerial systems have become indispensable in today’s warfare. These drones will improve India’s surveillance capabilities, especially in the IOR.

To mark the occasion, the Indian Navy is preparing to formally induct three major combat platforms: the submarine INS Vaghsheer, the destroyer INS Surat, and the frigate INS Nilgiri. This indicates how fast the Indian Navy’s indigenization is in process. Nonetheless, this Drishti 10 episode reminds everyone that neglecting the core requirements of maintaining technological self-reliance or failing to balance indigenization and operational capability cannot be easy.

Moving Forward: Strengthening Indigenous Capabilities

India has to incorporate the following measures in addressing the challenges that the Drishti 10 crash revealed:

1. Enhanced Testing Protocols: Thorough testing procedures must be implemented to find and fix any vulnerabilities in the defence systems before deployment.
2. Strengthening R&D: More investment is required in the research and development sector to enhance the ecosystem of defence innovations. It will gain immensely from its interaction with the academia and private industries.
3. Focus on Quality Assurance: Mechanisms for quality assurance need to be strengthened throughout the defence manufacturing value chain to ensure that platforms are of the highest quality.
4. Leveraging International Partnerships: Technology transfer and joint development initiatives with international partners would require continued engagement while aligning with Indianization goals.

Conclusion

The crash of the Drishti 10 Starliner drone does blow India’s defence modernization program but opens doors for learning and change. Indian defence certainly needs to build on its ambitions with pragmatism, making it a global leader in defence manufacturing. Doubling its commitment toward innovation by dealing with the challenges revealed by the crash, India can fortify its defence capabilities while furthering its vision for self-reliance in the defence sector. Drishti 10 Starliner, though at a setback in this respect, symbolizes India’s potential to attain technological excellence in the years to come.