I.              Rise of Drone Warfare in the 21st Century:

Introduction

·       Drone technology has significantly transformed modern combat, introducing complex asymmetrical threat scenarios.

·       The affordability and high-impact capability of UAVs—especially in swarm formations—have highlighted weaknesses in traditional air defence systems.

·       Incidents such as Ukraine’s FPV drone operation against Russia and Pakistan’s drone swarm offensive during Operation Sindoor (May 2025) demonstrate the urgent need for India to rethink its air defence framework.

The Evolution of UAVs: From Early Use to Asymmetrical Tactics

·       Initial Deployment: Drones were first used during World War II and the Korean War primarily for training purposes, simulating enemy aircraft.

·       Post-Gulf War Era: The 1991 Gulf War marked a turning point, where UAVs were extensively employed for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

·       Turning Point – Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict (2020): Azerbaijan’s deployment of Bayraktar TB2 and Israeli Harop drones proved decisive, neutralising Armenian air defence and armour with remarkable efficiency.

Global Examples of Drone-Based Warfare

·       Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine’s “Operation Spider’s Web” (June 2025) launched over 100 FPV drones deep into Russian territory, destroying more than 40 aircraft valued at $7 billion. Conversely, Russia has deployed Iranian Shahed-136 drones to target Ukraine’s energy systems and saturate its air defences.

·       Middle East:

o   In Yemen, Houthi rebels have used drone swarms to strike Saudi oil facilities.

o   In Gaza, Hamas employed UAVs for surveillance and strikes, while Israel countered with AI-powered precision drones.

·       Key Lesson: Even low-tech, low-cost drones can inflict strategic and economic damage when used creatively and in coordinated operations.

Rising Challenge: Swarm Drone Attacks

What Are Swarm Drones?

·       These are groups of drones that function in coordination, sharing real-time data and adjusting to threats dynamically.

·       Strengths:

o   Redundancy ensures mission completion even if some units are downed.

o   AI allows for real-time decision-making and adaptability.

·       India’s Experience (May 2025): Pakistan launched a series of drone swarm attacks from Baramulla to Barmer over several days, aiming to saturate defences, deplete resources, and test India’s response systems.

Obstacles in Combating Drone Threats

·       Cost Disparity: When a drone worth $1,000 can damage or destroy a $200 million asset, the cost-benefit ratio heavily favours the attacker. Using expensive interceptors on cheap drones is economically unsustainable.

·       Geographical Vulnerability: India’s vast and porous borders, combined with dense populations, make early detection and interception difficult.

·       Strategic Coordination: As highlighted by former Air Marshal Anil Chopra, countering drones requires seamless integration across intelligence, law enforcement, air defence, and cyber domains.

India’s Anti-Drone Capabilities

1.     Technological Innovations

o   Akashteer System: A unified command-and-control platform integrating real-time inputs with the Indian Air Force.

o   Bhargavastra: A high-speed launcher capable of releasing 64 micro-rockets to neutralise incoming drones.

o   DRDO’s Anti-Drone Solution: Provides 360° coverage with a detection range of 4 km and a 1 km laser-based neutralisation zone.

o   Indrajaal by Grene Robotics: AI-powered defence network covering 4,000 sq km using a mix of radar, jammers, and spoofers—already operational in Gujarat and Karnataka.

2.     Response During Operation Sindoor (May 2025):

o   India activated its Integrated Counter-UAS grid.

o   Deployed a combination of radar systems, missiles, and electronic warfare tools to defend 15 critical installations.

o   Local intelligence and law enforcement units played vital supporting roles.

Strategic Shifts: AI, Startups, and Swarm Autonomy:

·       CDS General Anil Chauhan emphasized the dawn of "machine-versus-machine" warfare.

·       India’s drone ecosystem is expanding rapidly with:

o   Over 550 startups focusing on drone and anti-drone solutions.

o   An emphasis on homegrown R&D and strategic collaboration.

·       AI-Enabled Swarms:

o   Can navigate autonomously.

o   Make dynamic decisions during missions.

o   Operate effectively in GPS-denied or jammed environments.

Policy and Institutional Framework

·       Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs): Driving the growth of drone manufacturing hubs in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

·       DRDO and iDEX: Supporting innovation through partnerships with private firms, startups, and academia.

·       Cybersecurity & Civilian Drone Regulations: Overlap between military and civilian drone concerns necessitates tighter coordination under DGCA and MoCA.

·       Legal Measures: India’s ban on drone imports (excluding defence and R&D) reinforces self-reliance and promotes domestic production.

The Way Forward

·       Integrated Defence Framework: Merge radar systems, jammers, directed-energy weapons, interceptor drones, and human intelligence into a unified defence grid.

·       Doctrine Revisions: Update military doctrines to address AI-driven, asymmetric warfare.

·       Training and Public Vigilance: Local police, and even civilians, must be trained to recognize and report drone threats.

·       Boost AI and Cyber Capabilities: Increase R&D in AI-driven threat detection and secure networks against cyber interference.

·       Global Partnerships: Collaborate with allies such as Israel (Iron Dome) and the U.S. (M-SHORAD) to access advanced technologies and best practices.

Conclusion

·       The future battlefield is increasingly unmanned, unpredictable, and relentless.

·       The rise of smart, low-cost, and mobile drones demands that India not only counter emerging threats but also reshape its strategic doctrines accordingly.

·       With focused investment in indigenous technologies, AI integration, and multi-layered defence infrastructure, India has the opportunity to convert its current challenges into a foundation for long-term military superiority in drone warfare.

II.            A New Perspective on the Sun

Introduction

• In June 2025, the ESA–NASA Solar Orbiter mission unveiled the first high-resolution images of the Sun’s South Pole captured from an angle outside the ecliptic plane — a groundbreaking development in solar research.
• This achievement was made possible by the Solar Orbiter’s inclined orbit, enabled by its launch in February 2020, which offered a never-before-seen vantage point.
• Unlike earlier missions that remained within the Sun’s equatorial plane, the Solar Orbiter’s tilted trajectory is revealing new insights into polar magnetic phenomena.
• This moment also highlights a broader truth: a change in viewpoint can lead to transformative breakthroughs — in both science and human understanding.

Background: The Ecliptic Plane and the Sun’s Polar Regions

• The ecliptic plane refers to the flat, imaginary surface defined by Earth’s orbital path around the Sun.
• Most planets and past solar missions have stayed within this plane, limiting views to the Sun’s equator.
• However, the poles are critical to understanding the Sun’s magnetic structure — an area largely inaccessible until now.
• NASA’s Ulysses mission (1990) was the first to pass over the solar poles but lacked imaging instruments.
• The Solar Orbiter, outfitted with ten advanced instruments like the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) and the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), now fills this long-standing observational gap.

Breakthrough Moment: Imaging the South Pole

• For the first time, scientists obtained clear visuals of the Sun’s South Pole — one of the least explored regions of our star.
• These observations are vital for understanding the Sun’s polar magnetic fields, which govern:
• Sunspot formation
• Solar flares
• Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

Why Polar Magnetic Fields Matter

• The Sun’s magnetic activity follows an 11-year cycle, characterized by magnetic field reversals and fluctuating solar behavior.
• The poles are central to this cycle, influencing the global magnetic structure.
• Better understanding of these fields can enhance:
• Forecasting of solar storms
• Space weather predictions
• Protection of satellites and electrical infrastructure on Earth
• Existing solar cycle models lack accurate polar data, making the Solar Orbiter’s contributions essential to improving predictive accuracy.

Impact on Earth and Space-Based Systems

• Space Weather Alerts: Solar flares and CMEs can severely impact:
• GPS functionality
• Global communications
• Power grid stability
• Polar data helps detect such phenomena earlier and with greater precision.
• As our reliance on space-based systems grows, accurate modeling of solar activity becomes critical for the stability of modern technology.

Looking Forward: The Solar Orbiter’s Next Phase

• Until 2026, the Orbiter will maintain a 17-degree tilt. In the 2030s, its inclination will increase to as much as 33 degrees.
• Future plans include:
• Capturing detailed imagery of the Sun’s North Pole
• Monitoring long-term changes in magnetic fields
• Strengthening data integration with Earth-based observatories and the Parker Solar Probe

Philosophical Reflection: Perspective in Science

• This mission is a reminder of a core principle of discovery — changing one’s angle of approach can unlock profound understanding.
• A slight orbital adjustment has yielded transformative insights, highlighting:
• The spirit of curiosity
• The fusion of engineering with visionary thinking
• The importance of humility and openness in scientific pursuit

Implications for India’s Space Research

• The Solar Orbiter sets a benchmark for India’s upcoming solar missions, particularly:
• Aditya-L1, ISRO’s planned mission to study the Sun from the Lagrange Point (L1).
• In the future, India could explore collaborative missions that allow off-ecliptic observations.
• Expanding India’s capabilities in space-based climate and solar monitoring will also benefit national and global resilience.

Conclusion

• The Solar Orbiter’s achievement marks more than a technological milestone — it signals a shift in how we study our closest star.
• With higher orbital tilts and continuous data flow, humanity is entering a new chapter in solar exploration.
• As ESA’s Carole Mundell aptly stated, we are witnessing the dawn of a new era in understanding the Sun — one image and one orbit at a time.