The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) successfully hosted a high-level seminar on "UAS Warfare with Special Focus on Counter-UAS" today in New Delhi. General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), delivered the keynote address, emphasising the transformative impact of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in modern warfare.

General Chauhan highlighted the key trends -celerity, robotics advancements, and AI-driven intelligence - that are exploited by UAS, making them highly disruptive. Referencing present day conflicts, he underscored how drones are reshaping warfare economics with low-cost, high-impact solutions. CDS postulated the imperative to establish a common vocabulary and grammar on UAS / Drones / Uncrewed Systems by the Indian Armed Forces. Stressing doctrinal clarity in UAS classification, he outlined four generations of UAS and the need for developing holistic Counter-UAS systems. He also called for synergy between users, designers, and manufacturers, ensuring India's self-reliant defence future.

Key Achievements:

• Showcasing India's Advancements in UAS and Counter-UAS Technologies: The seminar underscored India's progress in drone warfare, with a focus on indigenous development and self-reliance under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.
• Strategic Dialogue on Drone Warfare: Experts provided in-depth analysis on India's drone requirements, AI integration in drone warfare, and key lessons from ongoing global conflicts.
• Strengthening Border Security: Discussions focused on the increasing manifestation of drone threats along India's northern and western borders, as well as in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), highlighting the need for advanced detection and neutralisation systems.
• Enhanced Collaboration Between Military and Industry: Leading defence industry representatives, including JSW UAV ltd, Mahindra Defence, Adani Defence Systems, Kepler Aerospace, and Shyam VNL Pvt Ltd, presented cutting-edge solutions for counter-UAS warfare.
• Policy Recommendations for a National Counter-UAS Strategy: The seminar facilitated high-level discussions on a "Whole-of-Nation" approach to countering drone threats, including legal frameworks, electronic warfare advancements, and multi-domain unmanned systems.

Prominent military and strategic leaders, including Lt General N.S. Raja Subramani, Vice Chief of Army Staff, Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar, Vice Chief of Air Staff, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Lt General Vipul Shinghal, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff chaired various discussions, further enriching the dialogue on future counter-drone strategies.

The seminar brought together distinguished experts from the Indian Armed Forces, strategic policymakers, industry leaders, and domain specialists to deliberate on the latest advancements in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and evolving counter-UAS strategies. It reinforced the importance of integrating indigenous technologies with strategic policy frameworks to strengthen national security. It included all the stake holders such as BSF, ITBP, Coast Guard and Police. The accompanying exhibition showcased groundbreaking advancements in drone and counter-drone technologies, further solidifying India's role as a leader in modern warfare capabilities.