KAL, a long-range one-way attack drone indigenously designed and developed by IG Defence, has successfully completed a trial at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, marking a significant milestone in India’s development of indigenous long-range unmanned strike capabilities.
The successful trial comes at a time when long-range one-way attack drones have become an increasingly important component of modern warfare. The operational use of Iranian-origin Shahed-136 and Russian Geran-2 systems in the Russia-Ukraine war has demonstrated how relatively low-cost unmanned platforms can provide long-range strike capability, impose sustained pressure on air-defence networks and enable high-volume attack campaigns. The technology has subsequently spread across theatres, with Shahed-class systems also being employed in the Middle East and against maritime targets in the Red Sea, underscoring the growing geopolitical significance of long-range unmanned strike systems.
Commenting on the successful trial, Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, Founder and CEO of IG Defence, said, “The successful completion of KAL’s trial at Pokhran is a significant milestone for IG Defence and for India’s journey towards self-reliance in advanced defence technology. The wars and conflicts of recent years have demonstrated that long-range one-way attack drones are no longer a niche capability; they are becoming an important element of modern warfare and are influencing how nations think about precision strike, air defence and strategic deterrence. KAL has been designed around this emerging requirement, with a focus on long range, autonomous operation, payload capability and scalable indigenous production. For us, this is not simply about developing another drone; it is about building a sovereign Indian capability in a domain that is rapidly becoming strategically important. We believe India must have the ability to design, develop and manufacture such systems domestically, while creating technologies that can also serve the requirements of friendly nations.”
KAL is designed to operate in this emerging class of long-range one-way attack systems, with a specified range of up to 1,000 kilometres, endurance of 7–8 hours, payload capacity of up to 50 kg, and an operating altitude of up to 5,000 metres above mean sea level. The platform incorporates a navigation suite combining multi-band GNSS and inertial navigation systems (INS) to support autonomous flight throughout its mission profile. KAL is designed for precision engagement of designated targets, including infrastructure, radar installations, air-defence systems and other strategic targets, subject to mission configuration and applicable operational authorisations.
