RPSA Ghatak and India’s Stealth UCAV Programme

The Defence Acquisition Council cleared the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft (RPSA) Ghatak on 27 March 2026.[1] The DRDO has adopted Development-cum-Production Partner (DcPP) model, where the private industry will build flying prototypes. In May 2016, DRDO, the Indian Air Force, and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) initiated the Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft (AURA) project as a feasibility study for an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), later renamed Ghatak, with a budget of Rs 231 crore.[2] This project sought to develop a platform capable of a variety of operations, including surveillance, reconnaissance, precise targeted strikes and combat missions. The end goal of this programme was a domestically developed stealth combat drone capable of conducting missions.

The working title of the drone aircraft project was the Indian Unmanned Strike Aircraft Programme (IUSAP), while the scale model of RPSA was known as Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT).[3] In September 2020, SWiFT was revealed in a lecture video at IIT Kanpur. On 1 July 2022, the prototype made its first successful flight at the Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka, operating in full autonomous mode with perfect flight, including take-off, waypoint navigation, and a smooth touchdown.[4] The RPSA/Ghatak is designed as a tailless flying-wing drone for Mach 0.8 subsonic speed, low-observable radar and precision strike. The RPSA’s internal weapons bay, built to carry around 1.5 tonnes of precision-guided munitions, is intended to preserve the low radar signature.[5]

Propulsion has become the programme’s most closely watched variable. The platform is to be powered by a ‘dry’, non-afterburning derivative of the indigenous Kaveri engine, generating about 49-51kN and projected to give the drone a cruise speed of around Mach 0.8 and a service ceiling near 13,000 metres.[6] The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is expected to complete certification of the dry Kaveri engine, or Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE), by 2026. Recent reports, though, note that this timeline could extend to 2027. GTRE will have to achieve all benchmark testing, including endurance runs, high-altitude trials and integration validation. For a programme whose airframe work has consistently outpaced its propulsion work, meeting that deadline will matter as much as any single milestone announced so far.

Beyond a single-role strike platform, DRDO envisages the aircraft eventually operating in manned–unmanned teams (MUM-T) with the Tejas Mk2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) as well as with HAL’s CATS Warrior programme, as ‘loyal wingman’, extending MUM-T missions into contested airspace without risking fighter pilots.[7] By successfully integrating this platform, India can field an indigenous fleet of unmanned wingmen with RPSA for long-range, deep-penetration strikes with stealth capability. The Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap 2025 listed stealth UCAVs as a priority requirement for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.[8]

Close monitoring of UCAV deployment by the PLAAF is a priority for the Indian Air Force to prepare appropriate contingency plans. Given recent developments along the border, the operationalisation of the Ghatak will be closely watched. Reports note the deployment of the ‘GJ-11’ stealth UCAVs alongside J-20 fighter jets at Shigatse airbase (PLA Air Force station).[9] This airbase is situated merely 145 kms from the Sikkim border. Expeditious induction of interim C4ISR capabilities to detect, track, identify, target and shoot down adversary UAVs/UCAVs should also be a priority.

LCA ‘Tejas’ programme induction meanwhile also offers valuable lessons. Instead of waiting for ‘final variant induction’ for operational use, newer threats and evolving technologies will leave old solutions obsolete by the time the final variant is ready. A better recommendation is to adopt a block-upgrade process: initial service induction can be done on a basic variant, with successive sensor fusion, AI integration, propulsion enhancement, and weapons integration-cum-testing upgrades in future variants. This approach enables the IAF to build operational experience, review, provide feedback, and make doctrinal adjustments with RPSA, rather than compounding years of development while waiting for perfection.

Lastly, MUM-T architecture, secure datalinks, indigenous mission software and UX, sensor-data fusion, and integration readiness with Tejas Mk2 and AMCA should also be funded under the induction timeline. Any foreign-technology partnerships for this project must be pursued only for specific requirements such as sub-system deficiencies, datalinks compatibility, sensor fusion, or software issues. At the same time, general production should strictly follow the DcPP model, helping close deficiencies without compromising indigenous UCAV production capabilities.

The RPSA Ghatak is a significant development towards India’s goal of an indigenous stealth UCAV. It demonstrates India’s push for domestically developed defence technology focused on stealth and autonomy. The knowledge gained from this project can inform the development of future autonomous systems in India. However, challenges such as engine development remain. The Kaveri ‘Dry’ engine is much needed to operationalise the RPSA fleet and its subordinate programme. Current sustainment will require a non-negotiable Kaveri certification deadline, a stable timeline, and the DcPP model to lock in industry commitments. The DcPP model can credibly avoid slow production through handholding in a public–private industry partnership.

The RPSA programme’s significance is well beyond a single strike platform. The platform can have a wider role along with a new fleet/squadron of MUM-T-enabled drones and advanced fighter aircraft consisting of Tejas Mk2, AMCA and other UCAVs such as HAL’s CATS Warrior, integrated with secured satellite links, ground command-and-control infrastructure, and sensor-data fusion, to provide comprehensive network coverage for precise combat planning and execution.

Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the Government of India.

[1] “DAC Clears Proposals Worth Rs 2.38 Lakh Crore to Augment Defence Capabilities”, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, 27 March 2026.

[2] “DRDO Projects”, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, 3 February 2017.

[3] Prakhar Gupta, “A New Model of India’s Stealth Drone #Ghatak Visible in Background in This IIT Kanpur Video“, YouTube, 5 October 2020.

[4] “DRDO Conducts Successful Maiden Flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator”, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, 1 July 2022.

[5] Girish Linganna, “Delayed but Deadly: Can the Ghatak Drone Overcome Its Hurdles?”, WION, 25 August 2025.

[6] Sumit Ahlawat, “India’s Indigenous Fighter Jet Engine Dream One Step Closer to Reality as Kaveri Approved for Inflight Testing“, The Eurasian Times, 26 December 2024.

[7] Subhadra Srivastava, “What is Ghatak UCAV? India’s Indigenous Next-gen Stealth Strike Drone Approved to Transform Air Combat”, WION, 27 March 2026; Defence Production India, “HAL’s CATS Warrior – India’s Stealthy Loyal Wingman“, X (formerly Twitter), 26 May 2025.

[8] “Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) – 2025“, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, 2025.

[9] “China Deploys GJ-11 ‘Sharp Sword’ Stealth Drones to Tibet — A Game-Changer in Himalayan Airpower”, Defence Security Asia, 12 October 2025.