Indian Army deploys ‘Saksham’ counter-drone grid to dominate new tactical battlefield space

In a bold step to meet the fast-emerging threat of enemy drones on the contemporary battlefield, the Indian Army has initiated the acquisition of ‘Saksham’, its first indigenous Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid, capable of providing real-time detection, tracking and neutralization of enemy drones over an increased air-land combat space.

Triggered by lessons from Operation Sindoor, in which wayward drones breached beyond conventional ground-based defences, the Army has reconstituted its warfighting space, moving from the Tactical Battle Area (TBA) to the far broader Tactical Battlefield Space (TBS), reaching up to 3,000 metres into the ‘Air Littoral’.

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Designed and developed by BEL, the system incorporates AI-driven fusion technologies for future combat systems, enabling scalability and upgradation as threat environments evolve. To ensure speedy induction, the project has been approved under the Fast Track Procurement (FTP) route, with rollout to all field formations targeted within the next one year.

Providing the details, the army spokesperson said that the necessity for a comprehensive Counter-UAS framework emerged prominently during Operation Sindoor, where hostile UAS activity highlighted the need for swift detection, coordinated response, and airspace control beyond traditional ground limits.

Modern conflicts increasingly involve drones for surveillance and attacks, making situational awareness and real-time decision support essential for mission success. Conceived as a high-end, modular Command and Control System, SAKSHAM, short for Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management.

The system operates over the secure Army Data Network (ADN) to provide an integrated, recognised UAS picture to all formations and arms in real time, covering both the surface and the Air Littoral layer of the Tactical Battlefield Space.

The spokesperson said that Saksham aims to provide integrated situational awareness for Counter-UAS management through an effective CUAS network grid across the Tactical Battlefield Space, integrate own and enemy UAS data, CUAS sensors, and soft/hardkill systems on a common GIS-based platform, enable automated decision support and real-time visualisation for field commanders, and offer modular, scalable, and flexible architecture adaptable to evolving UAS threats.

The system will also receive inputs from the Akasheer System, further enhancing situational awareness by mapping all airspace users, friendly, neutral, or hostile, within the combat zone. It will generate a real-time Recognised UAS Picture (RUASP) across the entire Tactical Battlefield Space and integrate counter-UAS weapons and sensors to enable a synchronised response.

With AI-enabled threat analysis, the system will allow predictive identification of targets and faster decision-making. It will provide advanced battlefield visualisation and engagement tools to improve accuracy, while ensuring seamless interoperability with other operational and airspace management systems of the Indian Army.

The spokesperson further added that once operational, Saksham will serve as the backbone of the Indian Army’s Counter-UAS grid, giving commanders a unified picture of both ground and aerial threats in the Tactical Battlefield Space. It will enhance decision-making speed, ensure rapid engagement, and secure control over the Air Littoral, thereby protecting troops and infrastructure from aerial incursions.

This initiative represents a decisive stride towards creating a digitally enabled, technology-driven battlefield, aligned with the Indian Army’s Decade of Transformation (2023–2032).