Takshashila SlideDoc - Pakistan’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Ecosystem

Indo-Pacific Studies
Written By Adya Madhavan

Executive Summary

During the India-Pakistan clashes in May, both militaries employed a wide variety of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). UAVs and UCAVs are often colloquially referred to as ‘drones’. Prior to this, drones have not been used in clashes between the two countries to this extent.

An analysis of Pakistan’s drone inventory seems to reveal a shift towards diversification and military modernisation. Pakistan’s drone fleet largely comprises Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) and High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) aircraft. In addition to the indigenous systems that Pakistan has developed like the GIDS Shahpar, Pakistan largely relies on imports from China and Turkey.

Author

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Adya Madhavan
Adya Madhavan

Adya Madhavan is a Research Analyst at the Takshashila Institution working with the high-tech geopolitics program. She graduated from Ashoka University with a Bachelor's Degree in History and International Relations. Her interests include geopolitics, artificial intelligence, military technologies, ethics, conflict histories, and contemporary South Asian History.

Adya Madhavan
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