Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Wednesday unveiled the maiden indigenously manufactured 'Drishti 10 Starliner' Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in Hyderabad. Adani Defence and Aerospace spearheaded the manufacturing of this UAV. The ceremony was presided over by Chief Guest Admiral Kumar (PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC), who commended the Adani Group for aligning its strategy with the Navy's needs.
Navy Chief hails Adani Group's efforts
He acknowledged the establishment of a robust ecosystem of partners and capabilities by Adani, contributing to the realization of 'Atmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence and security. "This is a momentous occasion and a transformative step in India's quest for self-reliance in ISR technology and maritime supremacy. Drishti 10's integration will enhance our naval capabilities, strengthening our preparedness for ever-evolving maritime surveillance and reconnaissance," the Navy Chief added.
Meanwhile, D Sridhar Babu, Minister of Industries and Commerce, IT, Electronics, and Legislative Affairs of Telangana, also extended congratulations to the Adani Defence and Aerospace team for establishing a dynamic ecosystem for unmanned systems.
Know about Drishti 10 Starliner
The Drishti 10 Starliner represents an advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform with a remarkable endurance of 36 hours and a payload capacity of 450 kg. It stands out as the only all-weather military platform certified with NATO's STANAG 4671 for airworthiness, allowing it to operate in both segregated and unsegregated airspace. Following its unveiling in Hyderabad, the UAV is slated to be transported to Porbandar for induction into naval maritime operations.
Army, Navy place orders for Drishti-10 drones
During the event, Lieutenant General Ajay Suri, Director General of Army Aviation, mentioned that both the Indian Navy and Indian Army have placed orders for two Drishti-10 drones each to fulfill the growing requirement for satellite communication-enabled drones. Highlighting the Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad as a state-of-the-art facility focused on innovation and indigenization, he emphasized its status as a testament to Indian ingenuity. This commitment to self-reliance significantly enhances the nation's confidence and strength.
What did Adani Group say?
Meanwhile, Jeet Adani, the Vice President of Adani Enterprises, noted that recent geopolitical events underscore the convergence of physical, informational, and cognitive tactics, emphasizing the importance of intelligence, information processing capabilities, and the use of unmanned and cyber systems for information dissemination and disinformation. "Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms across land, air and naval borders are a key priority for Adani to serve the armed forces and place India on the global map for exports. We are proud to be able to serve the Indian Navy," he added.
The Adani Aerospace Park, as the country's inaugural final assembly line in the private sector for military-grade unmanned systems, tactical and loitering drones, is seamlessly integrated with a carbon aerostructures manufacturing unit, electronics and avionics unit, and EO IR (electro-optical/infrared) payloads. This integration contributes to achieving more than 70 per cent indigenisation.
(With inputs from ANI)
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