India has launched an ambitious programme to build indigenous high-altitude airships capable of conducting long-duration surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions, with several private companies expected to compete for the project. The project is being executed under the government’s Make-I procurement framework, which allows the Centre to fund up to 70% of research and development costs for selected industry partners.
The project is being executed under the government’s Make-I procurement framework, which allows the Centre to fund up to 70 percent of research and development costs for selected industry partners. As per The Economic Times, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the programme in February, with the overall project estimated to cost around Rs 15,000 crore, including prototype development and procurement of multiple systems.
The proposed airships are expected to remain airborne for months at a time, enabling persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The Indian Air Force’s Directorate of Operations (Remote) is overseeing the initiative and aims to develop Air Ship-based High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (AS-HAPS). The platforms are expected to operate at altitudes exceeding 20 kilometres, carrying advanced payloads for optical surveillance, electronic intelligence (ELINT) and long-range communications.
Alongside the airship initiative, the Defence Ministry is also pursuing the development of fixed-wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites that can take off conventionally and undertake extended surveillance missions.
