Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Drone: How Drones Are Powering India’s Next Revolution
By Preet Sandhuu
India's farmers and soldiers have long stood as the backbone of the country. However, both have encountered many challenges, ranging from the need for faster, smarter, and safer defence mechanisms to the unpredictability of climate and dwindling agricultural incomes. Into this landscape, drones have emerged as a revolution, weaving technology into the very fabric of our farms and frontlines, driving transformation where it’s needed most. From the battlefield to the farm, India’s new direction is clear — Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Drone! Drone technology is now the third force powering our nation’s strength.
Drones: The Third Pillar
Incidentally, the slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan was coined by India’s second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during a time when India faced a battle on two fronts - an India-Pakistan war being fought in Kashmir, and the internal battle of a severe food shortage. The slogan became a rallying cry for Indians to unite and build self-reliance in both agriculture and defence.
While India has made great strides in agriculture, renewed threats from our neighbours continue to test our defences. Make-in-India drone solutions are now at the frontlines, transforming how we secure our skies and borders. The Akashteer drone defence system, developed in-house by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), made big waves with its 100% success rate in detecting and neutralising enemy drones during Operation Sindoor.
In 2024, India's military drone market generated revenue of approximately $1.53 billion and is projected to reach $4.08 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 17.9%. At the same time, the Indian agriculture drone market generated $145.4 million in 2024 and is projected to escalate to $631.4 million by 2030, marking a 28.1% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.
Smart Farming Takes Flight
On the agricultural front, drones are empowering India’s approximately 150 million farmers with precision farming techniques. These flying marvels assist in assessing crop health, analysing soil conditions, mapping land, and precisely applying fertilisers and pesticides. Picture a small-scale farmer using a drone to detect crop stress, or a women-led self-help group renting out drones to improve irrigation efficiency. This isn’t a glimpse into the future — it’s already a reality.
For India’s small and marginal farmers, the majority of the agricultural workforce, drones offer critical benefits: conserving water, reducing fertiliser use, and minimising labour demands. In drought-prone regions, they can cut water usage by as much as 70%, offering a sustainable lifeline where resources are scarce.
Government schemes like “Namo Drone Didi” are catalysing this shift by training 15,000 women-led SHGs to operate and rent drones, giving a major boost to rural entrepreneurship. According to reports, India already has approximately 7,000 active agricultural drones. These innovations reduce input costs, save water and nutrients, and increase crop yields, offering small and marginal farmers the opportunity to become agripreneurs with access to cutting-edge tools.
Eyes Above, Shield Below
Now shift the lens to national security. Whether it’s monitoring border zones or collecting real-time intelligence in remote terrains, drones are enhancing the efficiency, agility, and safety of our military forces. In high-risk areas, they reduce human vulnerability while improving mission accuracy. Whether deployed for border surveillance or natural disasters for rapid response, drones have become essential in strategic operations.
India’s increasing focus on homegrown drone technologies, ranging from swarm drones to long-range UAVs, marks a decisive move toward self-reliance. Several homegrown startups and companies have designed and deployed a variety of military drones - from kamikaze suicide drones, to surveillance drones and variants that can carry payloads.
By developing the capability to design, build, and deploy drones across both civilian and defence sectors, India is reinforcing its sovereignty through strategic intelligence and homegrown innovation.
A few years ago, the Government of India launched the Agnipath scheme to enable the armed forces to recruit personnel for four years. Of all candidates, 25% were offered permanent positions based on merit. This means that 75% of Agniveer, armed with battlefield readiness, logistical expertise and real-world problem-solving skills, can either re-enter the workforce or work in the agri-sector with drone pilot training.
The convergence of drones in defence & agriculture is a national movement. It represents an India poised to lead rather than follow. As drones take to the skies, they represent a future where innovation serves purpose, where rural and border India aren’t left behind but propelled forward. In this transformative era, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Drone” is not just a tribute; it’s our trajectory.
(The author is the Founder and MD of AVPL International)
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