India developing ‘Rama’, world’s first dual stealth drone; to conduct major military exercise since Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: India(BHARAT) is scheduled to conduct a major military exercise called ‘Cold Start’ in the first week of October. This exercise will test drones and counter-drone systems. This drill will assess the strength of our air defence system and where improvements are needed. According to a report in The Hindu, this drill will be the largest preparation since Operation Sindoor.

A senior officer said, “This exercise aims to test the armed forces’ preparedness against new air threats.”

Counter UAVs and Air Defense Systems

At the ‘Counter UAVs and Air Defense Systems’ conference held in Delhi on Tuesday, 23 September 2025, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, referring to Pakistan, said that they are also trying to emulate India(BHARAT), but we must always stay one step ahead.

Air Marshal Dixit stated that according to the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), India(BHARAT) will have over 10,000 drones in the next 5-6 years. This estimate is based on the technology roadmap report of HQ IDS.

Success of India(BHARAT)’s counter-drone and air defense technologies

Air Marshal Dixit further stated that the conference also discussed ‘Operation Sindoor’, highlighting the success of India(BHARAT)’s counter-drone and air defense technologies.

Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) Rakesh Sinha said that the future of warfare will be determined by the competition between drones and their interception technologies. He said that every future conflict will depend on which country can make its drones and counter-drone systems more modern and effective.

He emphasised that counter-drone systems will be successful only if they possess three key features. First, they must be able to accurately identify enemy drones. Second, they must be capable of quick and accurate response with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Third, they must be able to seamlessly integrate with existing air defence systems.

India(BHARAT)’s first dual stealth drone, ‘Rama’

India(BHARAT) is developing the world’s first dual stealth drone, ‘Rama’. It can evade the enemy’s high-resolution radar and infrared signals and attack in less than a second. ‘Rama’ uses a unique indigenous coating material that reduces radar and infrared detection by up to 97%.

The drone is being developed by Hyderabad-based startup company Veera Dynamics and Binford Research Lab with the support of the Ministry of Defence. Currently, only the United States, China, and Russia have radar-evading stealth drones.

HIGHLIGHTS

• India(BHARAT) is developing ‘Rama’, the world’s first dual stealth drone.
• India(BHARAT) will be conducting a major military exercise to test the armed forces post Operation Sindoor.
• The military exercise called ‘Cold Start’ will be conducted in the first week of October.
• This exercise will test drones and counter-drone systems.

At the ‘Counter UAVs and Air Defense Systems’ conference held in Delhi on Tuesday, 23 September 2025, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, referring to Pakistan, said that they are also trying to emulate India(BHARAT), but we must always stay one step ahead.