On July 25, the Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully conducted flight trials of the UAV-Lau – nched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a congratulatory post on X, stated, “Indian industry is now ready to absorb and produce critical defence technologies.” On the other hand, there are concerning reports that state and non-state actors from our neighbourhood are using drones to smuggle drugs and weapons into India. The surge in cross-border drone activity along the Punjab border highlights a growing threat of narco-terrorism, posing serious risks to national security and public safety. Just as the machine gun changed the face of warfare in the early 20th century,drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) represent one more tragic turning point ~ this time demanding urgent international action in the form of a comprehensive UN treaty.
If Alexander the Great had drones, he could have aimed his charge precisely at the enemy’s weak point, seeing it clearly from above instead of taking a risk. Then he might have lost the very claims to heroism that made him great. Centuries later, drones ~ initially used for intelligence gathering in the 1990s ~ played a decisive role in the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, tipping the war in favour of the latter. The ongoing Ukraine-Russia war has taken this to a new level. A recent report on “Operation Spiderweb” reveals how Ukraine’s military has deployed so many small, cheap drones to inflict heavy losses on Russia’s high-end fighter jets worth billions. These low-tech systems, often assembled from commercial components, have emerged as powerful asymmetric wea – pons.
The India-Pakistan scenario ~ involving two nuclear armed rivals ~ carries even higher stakes. Any miscalculation or drone-driven escalation could have catastrophic global consequences. From the alleged deployment of hundreds of drones by Pakistan targeting critical Indian infrastructure, to retaliatory strikes by India on Pakistani air defenses, the skies above the subcontinent are becoming increasingly congested with unexpected actors. The use of sophisticated Israeli- and Turkish-made drones alongside potentially weaponized commercial models highlights both the accessibility and versatility of this technology. The implications of this drone proliferation are multifaceted. Firstly, drones offer a de – ceptively low-cost, low-human risk tool for asymmetric warfare.
Pakistan’s reported large-scale deployment exemplifies this potential ~ attempting to overwhelm Indian defenses with a swarm of flying objects. This could lower the threshold for initiating conflict and trigger a dangerous cycle of retaliation. Secondly, the ambiguity surrounding drone attacks poses a significant risk of miscalculation and unintended escalation. Unlike traditional military engagements, drone strikes can be shrouded in secrecy, making attribution challenging. In volatile contexts like that of India and Pakistan, where mutual suspicion already runs deep, this lack of transparency can easily lead to misinterpretations.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning promises greater autonomy, potentially leading to systems capable of identifying and engaging targets with minimal or no human intervention. Without clear international norms and prohibitions, we risk allowing machines to dictate the terms of conflict ~ and the human lives involved. While existing International Humanitarian Law theoretically applies to drone warfare, the unique characteristics of this technology necessitate a more specific and robust legal framework. In December 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 79/L.77 on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), with support from 166 countries.
LAWSbroadly refer to weapons such as advanced drones which select targets and apply force without human instruction. The resolution decided to convene open informal consultations in 2025 to consider the UN Secretary-General’s report on LAWS, following a meeting of the Group of Governmental Experts. These consultations are to be open to all Member States, observer States, international and regional organizations, the Red Cross, and civil society – including the scientific community and industry.
The Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called for a legally binding instrument by 2026, one that prohibits LAWS without human control and regulates others. The report expressed serious concern that LAWS, by lowering the threshold for the use of force, could increase the frequency and intensity of conflicts, precipitate humanitarian crises, and even lead to an arms race ~ as the risk of military casualties for the user state is reduced. The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) remains a key forum, but some States argue it is slow, proposing the General Assembly as a more inclusive and responsive platform.
As systems become less expensive to develop, concerns about their proliferation among both state and non-state actors (e.g., terrorists) are increasing. Virtual Planet Africa emphasizes the need for safeguards to prevent such proliferation. ‘Stop Killer Robots’ ~ a coalition of approximately 270 civil society organizations ~ emphasizes urgency, citing the risks of automated killing and digital dehumanization. ‘The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom’ warns that LAWS could also enable gender-based violence, including programm ed sexual violence or the targeting of men as presumed militants. An informal UN meeting in New York on May 12 considered a “two-tiered” approach with both prohibitions on certain types of LAWS and regulations on others.
Drones are the equivalent of making the soldier invisible, effectively allowing nations to wage war without soldiers on the front lines.The rapid proliferation of drones, as seen in conflicts like Ukraine-Russia and India-Pakistan, underscores their deadly impact on warfare. The UN’s push for a 2026 Treaty on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems is critical, aiming to ban systems without human control and regulate others. Without swift global action, the unchecked spread of drones ~ accessible to states and nonstate actors alike ~ threatens escalated conflicts, humanitarian crises, and even programmed atrocities. However, 2026 may be too late. A robust, inclusive treaty is urgent to govern this lawless sky.
(The writer is a transparency and equality advocate and author. The views expressed are personal)