Queen of the Battlefield: India to Procure More Heron MK II Drones After Operation Sindoor Success

The Heron MK II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), already in service with the Indian Army and Air Force, will now be incorporated into the Indian Navy.

India has signed up to procure additional satellite-linked Heron MK II drones under emergency provisions. The decision comes after the effective use of Heron MKII during Operation Sindoor.

The Heron MK II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), already in service with the Indian Army and Air Force, will now be incorporated into the Indian Navy, reported PTI citing a source working with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

After Operation Sindoor, all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces have selected the Heron MK II for emergency procurement, the official stated, but did not disclose the numbers. “We are very proud that all three branches decided to purchase and operate the Heron Mark II,” he said. “For us, India is a major customer,” the unnamed IAI official told the news agency. “Our partnership spans over three decades and generations of systems.”

Notably, the defence ministry in September had issued the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the acquisition of 87 MALE drones, with a focus on an indigenous “Make in India” programme that allows foreign collaboration.

The UAVs have now evolved from simple surveillance tools to the “Queen of the battlefield,” operating thousands of kilometres away, providing multi-sensor capabilities, and even playing a major role against enemy air defences, the official said.