India to Procure Additional Heron MK II Drones From Israel After Success in Operation Sindoor

India has decided to acquire more satellite-enabled Heron MK II drones from Israel under emergency procurement, following their effective use during Operation Sindoor. According to a senior source from the Israeli defence industry, the move reflects New Delhi’s push to enhance real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities amid evolving security challenges.

The source, associated with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), revealed that the Heron MK II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – already deployed by the Indian Army and Air Force – will now also be inducted into the Indian Navy. This expansion marks a significant step toward strengthening India’s tri-service drone operations.

In September, India’s Ministry Of Defence issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the purchase of 87 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones. The procurement aligns with the government’s “Make in India” vision, which allows foreign collaboration while ensuring substantial domestic manufacturing participation.

“For us, India is one of the most significant partners,” an IAI official said. “Our relationship spans more than three decades and multiple generations of advanced systems.”

The official noted that after the outcome of Operation Sindoor, all three wings of the Armed Forces opted to procure the Heron MK II under fast-track emergency provisions, although the exact quantity was not disclosed. “We are very proud that the Army, Navy, and Air Force have all chosen the Heron Mark II,” he added.

The Heron MK II is a sophisticated MALE UAV designed to fly at high altitudes with long-endurance capability, enabling continuous surveillance for nearly two days. The system is operated not only by the Israeli Air Force but also by around 20 nations across the world, making it one of the most trusted platforms for strategic reconnaissance.

IAI Expresses Strong Commitment to ‘Make in India’

Commenting on India’s indigenous defence push, the IAI representative said, “We fully understand the vision of ‘Make in India’ and are extensively cooperating with our local partners to fulfil those requirements.” Key partners currently include HAL and Elcom.

IAI’s long-term objective is not just to supply the Heron MK II but to manufacture an India-specific variant within the country. “We want to build the systems in India, making it an Indian version of the Heron,” he said. This vision aims for more than 60% indigenous content and a substantial technology transfer that would significantly enhance India’s UAV ecosystem.

Reflecting on the origins of modern UAV technology, the official mentioned a key lesson from the 1973 war: “Our intelligence was entirely second-hand.” That shortfall led to the development of the Scout UAV in the late 1970s – the world’s first operational unmanned aerial vehicle – designed to provide uninterrupted, real-time aerial intelligence.

According to the source, UAVs have since evolved from simple observation tools to what he described as the “Queen of the battlefield”. Modern drones now operate thousands of kilometres away, integrate multi-sensor systems, and are crucial even in operations against sophisticated air defence networks.

Technical Overview: Heron MK II MALE UAV

The addition of these advanced Israeli drones marks another step in India’s broader strategy to strengthen its ISR network, enhance border surveillance, and improve maritime domain awareness. With deeper technological collaboration and an expanding defence partnership, New Delhi and Tel Aviv are poised to take UAV cooperation to the next level.