India gears up for major military drill ‘Cold Start’ | Fusion - WeRIndia

India is set to conduct a large-scale military exercise, ‘Cold Start’, in the first week of October, with a sharp focus on testing drones and counter-drone systems.

This drill is expected to be the most significant since Operation Sindoor and aims to evaluate the preparedness and capabilities of India’s air defence systems.

According to several newspaper reports, the drill will help identify strengths and pinpoint areas that require improvement, especially in the face of new aerial threats, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The assessment will include AI-driven detection, rapid response systems, and the integration of counter-drone measures within existing defence infrastructure.

The growing significance of drone warfare was a key topic at the ‘Counter UAVs and Air Defence Systems’ conference, held in Delhi on 23 September 2025.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit addressed the event, noting that neighbouring countries like Pakistan are attempting to emulate India, but stressed the importance of maintaining a technological edge.

He highlighted a projection from the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), suggesting that India will have over 10,000 drones in the next 5–6 years, based on the HQ IDS technology roadmap.

The event also revisited Operation Sindoor, showcasing the success of India’s counter-drone and air defence technologies.

Rakesh Sinha, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), said the race between drone capabilities and interception technologies will shape the future of warfare.

Sinha outlined three essential features for effective counter-drone systems:

• Accurate identification of enemy drones.
• Fast, AI-powered response systems.
• Seamless integration with existing air defence networks.

A major highlight in India’s drone arsenal is ‘Rama’, the world’s first dual stealth drone.

Developed by Veera Dynamics and Binford Research Lab with support from the Ministry of Defence, Rama can evade both radar and infrared detection, and strike in under a second. Its indigenous stealth coating reduces detectability by up to 97%.

Only the US, China, and Russia currently have similar stealth drone technology, making Rama a major step forward in India’s defence innovation.

Image by Adonyi Gábor from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on August 15, 2018

Image Reference: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1446059