Illustration for representation. (© India Sentinels 2026–27)
New Delhi: Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), the government-owned defence manufacturer under the Ministry of Defence, has invited Indian companies to partner it in developing an integrated drone system for the AVNL main battle tank (MBT). The expression of interest (EoI), issued through Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Chennai, seeks design and development partners (DDPs) with proven experience in unmanned aerial systems, loitering munitions, and secure battlefield communications.
The drone system will comprise three distinct subsystems: a loitering munition for precision strikes, an untethered surveillance drone for beyond-line-of-sight reconnaissance, and a tethered drone for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Together, they are intended to form a networked, C4ISR-capable system integrated seamlessly into the 55-tonne AVNL MBT.
The loitering munition is among the most demanding components in the package. It must achieve a minimum operational range of 15 kilometres from the point of launch, carry a warhead capable of penetrating at least 500mm of rolled homogeneous armour in top-attack mode, loiter for a minimum of 30 minutes, and strike targets moving at 60 kilometres per hour or more – with a circular error probability (CEP) of no greater than one metre.
The system must also be capable of autonomous operation if the data link is lost, and must include anti-jamming, anti-spoofing, and frequency-hopping capabilities for use in contested electromagnetic environments.
The untethered surveillance drone is expected to transmit 2K video at 30 frames per second over 20 kilometres, integrate electro-optical and infrared gimbals for day-and-night operations, and support automatic target tracking. The tethered drone, powered continuously through its tether from the tank’s onboard supply, will provide persistent aerial surveillance in both static and mobile conditions.
A key requirement across all three platforms is a single, integrated display unit and human-machine interface operable by the tank crew, with the ability to switch between sub-systems and override autonomous functions. The entire drone system must also withstand the tank’s operational stresses – including weapon recoil, turret motion, and deep fording up to five metres.
The procurement follows the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category under India’s defence acquisition procedure 2020, with indigenous content required to exceed 50 per cent during the prototype phase, rising to 80 per cent during series production. Only Indian companies – including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), public-sector undertakings (PSUs), and limited liability partnership companies (LLPs) – are eligible to respond.
AVNL plans to procure three prototype sets initially, followed by 590 sets during series production, contingent on the Indian Army’s selection of the AVNL MBT for its future ready combat vehicle (FRCV) programme. The intellectual property rights for all developed technology will vest exclusively with HVF/AVNL.
Interested bidders must submit pre-bid queries within five working days of the EoI’s publication on the GeM/CPP portal. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for the 10th calendar day after the EoI is issued, to be held in hybrid mode.
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© India Sentinels 2026-27
