IAF to get mini drones for covert operations

• From Israeli sniper and assault rifles to European “underwater open-circuit diving equipment”, the Special Forces of the armed forces are slowly but surely inducting specialised weaponry and equipment for their clandestine warfare and counter-terrorism operations.
• Defence ministry has said the latest acquisition is the Rs 27 crore contract for 65 micro UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) or spy drones for IAF’s Garud Commando Force.
• The Navy, in turn, awaits the already-approved construction of two “midget submarines” or “chariots” for its marine commandos at a cost of Rs 2,017 crore.
• The government may still be working out the basic contours of the three new proposed tri-Service commands for space, cyberspace and special operations to ensure synergy and cost-effectiveness, but the armed forces are expanding and modernising their own Special Forces.
• The armed forces have inducted well over 200 UAVs since the 1999 Kargil conflict, with the bulk of them being Israeli drones like Heron and Searcher-II for long-range surveillance and precision-targeting roles.

Source: Defence News