Hubs at IMA Dehradun, OTA Chennai, Infantry School Mhow and others will make drone training part of Army’s standard curriculum

The Army is planning to establish drone training centres and hubs at 19 major training establishments across the country, including the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, the Infantry School in Mhow, the Officers Training Academy in Chennai and Gaya, and the School of Artillery in Deolali.

The move is intended to integrate drone training facilities into the standard training curriculum for all ranks, in line with the inclusion of drones as a standard weapon system in the defence forces following Operation Sindoor.

In a limited Expression of Interest published for select vendors, the Army has sought proposals for the purchase of training aggregates to establish state-of-the-art drone training facilities in 19 major training establishments across India. The urgency of the move is evident from the fact that these purchases are being made under emergency revenue procurements.

The plan covers multiple categories of drones, training simulators with allied infrastructure, and the setting up of 24×7 outdoor manoeuvre ranges and indoor training areas at all these Category A training establishments.