India unveils roadmap to strengthen nuclear deterrence, drone warfare capabilities

India has set out an ambitious plan to reinforce its nuclear deterrence and expand drone warfare capabilities under the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR-2025), a 15-year blueprint for military preparedness.

The document highlights measures to sustain credible nuclear deterrence through survivability systems and advanced delivery platforms. While it avoids reference to specific warhead technologies, it outlines future acquisitions such as nuclear command-and-control infrastructure, radiation detection tools, and mobile decontamination units. Unmanned ground vehicles for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance are also on the agenda, aimed at strengthening protection against potential nuclear or chemical fallout.

On the aerial front, the Army has projected requirements for stealth remotely piloted aircraft with ranges of up to 1,500 km and altitudes of 60,000 feet. These drones would carry electronic warfare payloads, NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) detection equipment, and even guide artillery fire.

The roadmap also places emphasis on loitering munitions, designed to carry out precision strikes with artificial intelligence–enabled targeting and reusable warhead systems. In addition, integrated surveillance and targeting drones are expected to boost the battlefield capabilities of mechanised forces.

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India is also preparing for the emerging threat of hostile drone swarms. TPCR-2025 envisages adaptive jamming systems and electronic denial bubbles with a 15 km radius to neutralise such attacks, underscoring the rising importance of electronic warfare in modern combat.

Officials said the initiatives are closely aligned with the government’s self-reliance push in defence production by reducing dependence on foreign imports.

With TPCR-2025, India has signalled a strategic shift towards integrated deterrence — combining nuclear resilience, electronic warfare, and unmanned strike platforms — to strengthen national security in the coming decades.