India’s 15-Year Defence Plan Unveiled: MoD Pushes AI, Drones, Lasers and Indigenous Modernisation

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has unveiled India’s 15-Year Defence Plan, a sweeping modernisation blueprint that outlines an ambitious agenda for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Titled the Technology Vision and Capability Roadmap, the plan highlights India’s intention to transform its military into a future-ready force through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned platforms, directed energy weapons, and indigenous technological development.

What are the Army’s modernisation focus areas?

The roadmap envisions a substantial overhaul of the Indian Army’s ground combat capabilities. Planned acquisitions include over 1,800 main battle tanks, 400 light tanks, and 600,000 artillery rounds, alongside a diverse fleet of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

The Army’s emphasis is clearly on networked warfare, automation, and precision strikes, signalling a shift from manpower-heavy tactics to technology-driven manoeuvre warfare. The integration of autonomous drones, AI-powered surveillance, and smart munitions reflects a bid to counter regional threats with rapid, decisive force.

How are Naval priorities changing for the future?

For the Indian Navy, the MoD has laid out a vision anchored in sea control and power projection. The plan includes one new aircraft carrier, 10 next-generation destroyers, and more than 10 landing platform docks (LPDs) for amphibious operations.

Advanced shipborne helicopters will complement these surface assets, ensuring the Navy can sustain blue-water operations and enhance maritime domain awareness.

This naval expansion underscores India’s determination to safeguard its vast maritime interests across the Indian Ocean and beyond.

What is the vision for the future Air Force?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) plays a prominent role in the roadmap, with a focus on aerial innovation, drones, and advanced strike capabilities.

The MoD has outlined plans for 20 stratospheric airships for communication relay and intelligence gathering, 350 multi-mission drones, and over 100 stealth UCAVs capable of operating at supersonic speeds and carrying heavy payloads.

The Air Force roadmap also includes directed energy weapons such as high-power lasers and electromagnetic systems to neutralise enemy aircraft, missiles, and even space-based assets.

The roadmap also lists advanced anti-swarm drone systems, high-altitude pseudo-satellites, and remotely piloted aircraft for long-endurance missions, demonstrating the Air Force’s push towards autonomy and electronic warfare dominance.

What are the plans for futuristic Warfare?

Beyond platforms and weapons, the 15-year roadmap emphasises the importance of cyber resilience, electronic warfare, and space-based operations.

Planned systems include satellite-driven secure communications for joint operations, AI-powered command grids to manage battlefield data and targeting, electronic denial bubbles to cripple enemy radars and communications, and anti-swarm and counter-drone systems to protect critical assets.

The MoD stressed that these measures are essential for ensuring multi-domain superiority as modern conflicts increasingly blur the boundaries between land, sea, air, cyber, and space.

What will be the multi-billion-dollar defence industry push?

The roadmap details acquisition programmes worth several hundred billion dollars spread over 15 years, covering more than 200 weapon systems and emerging technologies. These include nuclear-powered surface vessels, hypersonic strike weapons, stealth drones, and energy-based systems.

By providing clear guidance on priority research and development areas, the document is expected to serve as a blueprint for India’s defence industry, offering opportunities for public and private players to innovate and collaborate under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” framework.

What is the MoD’s vision on an indigenous, networked, and future-ready military?

“The roadmap highlights India’s push to integrate cutting-edge indigenous technologies with future combat capabilities,” the MoD said in its statement. By stressing indigenous R&D, AI integration, and futuristic weapons, the plan aims to reduce dependence on imports while positioning India as a major defence innovator.

With stealth UCAVs, energy weapons, cyber resilience tools, and autonomous systems forming the backbone of its vision, India’s armed forces are set to undergo one of the most comprehensive modernisation drives in their history.