According to reports, Grene Robotics, a private sector firm based in Hyderabad, has introduced a weapons platform named Indrajaal, which it claims to be the world's only autonomous wide-area counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS). This system is asserted to be capable of safeguarding against a broad spectrum of drones, including micro, mini, small, large, and extra-large drones, representing a notable advancement in Indian defense technology.

Grene Robotics has funded the development of Indrajaal, utilizing its own resources and scientific expertise to create live demonstrations for government officials and tri-services officers. The system was unveiled in the presence of Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, the governor of Uttarakhand, who hailed it as a groundbreaking advancement in defense technology with the potential to reshape security dynamics for defense, public, and private infrastructure. He emphasized its role in enhancing the nation's self-reliant military capabilities and addressing the pressing need to defend against the growing drone threat.

The trials for Indrajaal are taking place at Grene Robotics' 79-acre test facility in Hyderabad. Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in hostile unmanned aerial system (UAS) activity worldwide, particularly following conflicts in various regions. India has faced several instances of detecting and thwarting attempts to smuggle weapons, money, and narcotics into the country using drones.

Intelligence reports have indicated Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency's intentions to utilize drones for smuggling weapons and narcotics into India's Jammu and Punjab regions. These missions by Pakistan primarily involve surveillance of Indian security forces, narcotics smuggling, and weapons distribution within the Indian Territory. Notably, there has been a steady rise in drone-based weapon deliveries, with approximately 200 cases reported in 2023 alone.

Indrajaal's design incorporates 12 layers of technology powered by artificial intelligence, allowing it to detect, identify, classify, track, and promptly neutralize threats in real time. Providing 360-degree protection, Indrajaal is designed to defend areas of up to 4,000 square kilometers against all categories and levels of unmanned autonomous threats. It currently demonstrates the ability to protect against various aerial threats, including low radar cross-section threats, medium and high-altitude UAVs, loitering munitions, smart bombs, rocket attacks, nano and micro drones, swarm drones, and other contemporary threats.

The system aims to overcome the limitations of current counter-drone deployments, which often rely on physical sighting, lack scalability, and face challenges in dealing with swarm attacks. Indrajaal addresses these limitations by combining 12 proprietary technologies into a wide-area networked system for enhanced effectiveness.

Image source: BS