Overview
- Late June reporting says the Army has announced and begun organising specialised 'Baaz' battalions under the Army Aviation Corps to centralise Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operations.
- The Baaz battalions are designed to manage the full lifecycle of drone missions, including mission planning, deployment, maintenance, software updates and data exploitation.
- Army sources say the new formations will deliver persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), long-range aerial surveillance, precision strikes and operation of loitering munitions while integrating with artillery and electronic warfare systems.
- Reporting names a mixed fleet for Baaz duties — long‑range types such as the MQ‑9B and Israeli Heron/Hermes alongside domestic drones from companies like IdeaForge — and notes procurement of some platforms remains being finalised or reported by defence sources.
- The change follows operational reviews after LAC standoffs and Operation Sindoor, reflects a fast expansion of India’s drone inventory to tens of thousands, and will shift sustainment, training and frontline support responsibilities as implementation continues under the next army leadership.