Leh: Indian Army’s Him-Drone-a-thon 2 has begun in Leh with an aim to revolutionize military operations using indigenous technology.

The recent conflict between Ukraine and Israel has shown that drones are becoming increasingly important in modern warfare. The goal of the Him-Drone-a-thon 2 is to evaluate the combat capabilities of drones for surveillance, logistics, precision strikes and communications in high-altitude areas. More than 20 drone manufacturers participated in the event, demonstrating various technologies such as loitering munitions, drone swarms and first-person perspective operations.

The harsh environment of Ladakh served as a virtual testing ground for these drone technologies, with the Indian Army carefully evaluating the performance of each product. Winners in the Logistics and First Person View categories were given special recognition, and participants were praised for their innovation. Improvement suggestions were also given to some of the products, demonstrating the Indian Army’s continuous commitment to technological development.

‘HIM-Drone-a-thon 2’ coincides with the Indian Army’s Vision 2024 for Technology Absorption and the broader goal of Raksha Aatmanirbharta (Defence Self-Reliance). Through this initiative, collaboration between the defence sector and Indian drone manufacturers is fostered, which has the potential to make India a global leader in drone technology for high altitude environments. This will boost innovation, export opportunities and military capabilities. As India accelerates its defence modernization drive, programmes such as HIM-Drone-a-thon 2 will play a vital role in advancing indigenous technologies that will benefit highly challenging environments for both military and civilian applications.