UDHAMPUR, October 20 — The Indian Army completed the operational induction and forward deployment of the first major batch of indigenous 'Nagastra-1' precision strike loitering munitions across high-altitude forward posts along the Northern Command on Monday.
Manufactured by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries Nagpur, the backpack-portable unmanned system features over 75% indigenous content. Operating with an endurance of 60 minutes at altitudes up to 4,500 metres, the electric-powered loitering munition carries a 1 kg high-explosive fragmenting warhead capable of striking hostile machine-gun nests, snipers, and communications nodes out to a 30-kilometre line-of-sight range with sub-two-metre circular error probable (CEP).
Infantry commanders confirmed that the munition integrates indigenous NavIC satellite navigation and features an abort-and-recover parachute capability, allowing flight operators to safely recall and reuse the drone if an engaged hostile target relocates before impact.
The evolution of asymmetric unmanned combat systems in modern warfare, the operational role of loitering munitions versus conventional artillery, indigenous private defence manufacturing under Emergency Procurement (EP) powers, and NavIC positioning integrations are key study topics for UPSC GS-III and CDS exams.