Full Breakdown
India Moves Toward Mass Production of 30-kW Laser Weapon to Counter Drone Swarms
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Core Development and Upcoming Production
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will issue an Expression of Interest (EoI) within six months to select an industrial partner for the first-of-production model (FOPM) of its 30-kilowatt (kW) directed-energy weapon. The truck-mounted laser is designed to neutralise drone swarms, UAVs and hostile optical sensors at distances of up to five kilometres. DRDO officials say the technology has been demonstrated, but additional work is required before the FOPM stage is locked in. The FOPM is expected to be ready within a year of partner selection, positioning the system as a key component of India’s layered air-defence architecture.
Background & Context
In May 2025, inexpensive probing drones were used during Operation Sindoor, exposing a cost-asymmetry problem for the Indian armed forces. Earlier DRDO-developed 2 kW and 10 kW DEWs were fielded along the Line of Control and integrated into the inner tier of a multi-layered defence network. The 30 kW laser is the third in this series and is slated to become a “strong arm” of the Sudarshan Chakra air-defence system announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August 2025, with an ultimate goal of full indigenous capability by 2035.
Timeline
- May 2025 – Operation Sindoor; extensive drone deployments.
- 13 April 2025 – Trial at the National Open Air Range in Kurnool demonstrated engagement of fixed-wing drones, a multi-drone attack and destruction of surveillance sensors.
- August 2025 – Final trials of the 30 kW system concluded.
- 15 August 2025 – Prime Minister Modi announced the Sudarshan Chakra initiative, targeting operational readiness by 2035.
- 20 September (scheduled) – DRDO announced that the FOPM would be available within a year to counter swarm drones.
- Within six months – Planned issuance of an EoI to select a production partner.
Official Statements & Responses
DRDO’s B. K. Das said the 30 kW laser technology has been demonstrated and is “proved,” but additional development is needed before the next production stage. He noted the system will operate within the OODA loop, allowing instantaneous engagement of aerial threats. The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, issued an Acceptance of Necessity for the 10 kW DEW, authorising procurement of an initial batch. Prime Minister Modi described the Sudarshan Chakra vision as essential for protecting strategic and civilian sites, with a target of an indigenous system operational by 2035.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact roster of firms shortlisted for the 30 kW production licence. Some list BEL and Adani Defence & Aerospace, while others mention L&T alongside BEL, and a separate account notes that only three production licences will be granted without specifying the companies. The precise timeline for field deployment after the FOPM remains unclear beyond the “within a year” estimate.
What’s Next
- EoI release: Expected within six months to invite Indian companies to acquire the technology.
- Partner selection: Anticipated within the subsequent six-month window, after which the chosen firm will develop the FOPM.
- FOPM delivery: Projected to occur within a year of partner selection, enabling integration into the Sudarshan Chakra and IDD&IS Mk-IIA programmes.
- Future upgrades: DRDO is pursuing higher-power variants (50–100 kW and a 300 kW “Surya” project) to expand the nation’s directed-energy capabilities.