Indian Air Force Enhances Garud Commandos' Capabilities with Indigenous Loitering Munitions
The Indian Air Force has announced a major advancement for its Garud Commando Force by releasing a Request for Information (RFI) concerning locally-developed man-portable loitering munitions. This initiative is intended to equip these special forces with an independent, long-range precision strike and reconnaissance ability, separate from standard air or artillery backup.
As detailed in the RFI, which falls under the Make in India program, the system must be light and fully portable, enabling small special forces units to carry and launch it autonomously without heavy equipment or logistical burdens. Essential technical specifications include a minimum operational range of 40 kilometers, flight endurance surpassing two hours, and compatibility with both high-explosive (HE) and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads. This dual capability will empower Garud teams to engage a variety of targets, including enemy personnel, bunkers, armored vehicles, and command centers.
Understanding Loitering Munitions
Loitering munitions, also known as 'kamikaze drones' or 'suicide drones', merge the functions of a surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle with a precision-guided munition. Upon launch, these systems can travel to a specified area, hover while providing real-time video and sensor information to operators, identify critical targets, and then strike with precision. Importantly, operators have the option to cancel the strike if conditions change or the risk of unintended damage becomes too high. This "find, fix, finish" cycle significantly reduces the time from detection to action compared to traditional call-for-fire methods.
The RFI emphasizes the need for survivability features, requiring that the munitions operate effectively even in GPS-denied environments and withstand electronic warfare tactics. These requirements are informed by recent high-intensity conflicts where electronic attacks have become commonplace.
Why Garuds Need This Capability
Currently, the most powerful man-portable weapon accessible to Indian special forces is an anti-tank guided missile with an effective range of approximately 4–5 kilometers. A loitering munition with a 40-kilometer range substantially expands that reach while offering the team its own aerial reconnaissance tool. For Garud operators in contested or restricted areas—whether in high-altitude, jungle, or urban settings—this integrated "eyes-and-strike" capability is a significant force enhancer.
This development reduces reliance on external fire support, which might be delayed, unavailable, or restricted politically. It also enables small teams to conduct stand-off attacks with reduced risk of collateral damage compared to larger munitions or artillery, an important consideration in populated regions or near crucial infrastructure.
Background: The Garud Commando Force
Established in 2004 following terrorist threats to Indian airbases, the Garud Commando Force serves as the Indian Air Force's special operations unit. Its primary responsibilities include defending key air force installations, conducting combat search and rescue of downed aircrew, performing special reconnaissance, executing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency missions, suppressing enemy air defenses, and establishing or securing forward airbases in hostile areas.
Personnel undergo one of the most comprehensive and demanding training regimens among Indian special forces, lasting up to three years, which includes airborne operations, jungle and snow survival, demolition, diving, and collaborations with Army special forces and Rashtriya Rifles units. The force consists of over 1,600 personnel organized into multiple units based at key air force stations, with headquarters at the Garud Regimental Training Centre in Hindon.
The Garuds have been operationally deployed in counter-insurgency efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, including high-profile missions such as Operation Rakh Hajin, United Nations peacekeeping in Congo, securing critical assets during the 2016 Pathankot attack, and activities along the Line of Actual Control during the 2020 standoff with China.
Strategic and Industrial Context
The decision aligns with lessons learned from modern battlefields, notably the widespread use of loitering munitions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Systems like the American Switchblade, Polish Warmate, Turkish Kargu, and Israeli Harop have repeatedly shown how low-cost, disposable munitions can effectively destroy tanks, artillery, command posts, and fortifications while offering ongoing surveillance capabilities.
India has already introduced or tested various indigenous loitering munitions systems for the Army and other branches. The IAF's RFI seeks a man-portable version specifically tailored for special operations, encouraging domestic industry to develop solutions that meet stringent requirements for size, weight, power, and electronic warfare resilience.
Once operational, these munitions will provide Garud teams with artillery-like reach and precision, enhancing their capacity to perform independent deep-strike and reconnaissance missions, improving situational awareness behind enemy lines, and offering commanders more versatile options across different conflict scenarios, from counter-terrorism to full-scale conventional operations.
The RFI represents a concrete step in the modernization of India’s special forces, positioning the Garud Commando Force to meet the technological and operational demands of future contested environments.
