How Much Loss Has India Suffered in Drone Strikes?

This article is written by Major (r) Haroon Rasheed.

India has purchased a large number of Harop drones from Israel, which are advanced loitering munitions (missile-like drones that hover over targets before striking). These drones are developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and each unit is estimated to cost approximately $700,000 USD.

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Details of the Purchase:

1. Initial Purchase (2009): In 2009, the Indian Air Force acquired Harop drones in a deal worth approximately $100 million, with reports suggesting up to 10 drones were included.

2. Additional Acquisition (2019): In February 2019, the Indian Air Force decided to procure 54 more Harop drones. By then, the Indian Air Force reportedly had around 110 Harop drones, later re-branded as P-4.

3. Total Quantity: Although exact figures are not publicly confirmed, estimates suggest India has purchased over 164 Harop drones.

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Recent Loss:

According to recent reports, 33 Harop drones were shot down, resulting in a significant financial loss for India.

Cost per drone: $700,000

Total loss for 33 drones:

In USD: 33 × $700,000 = $23,100,000

In Pakistani Rupees (at approx. 278 PKR/USD):

$23.1 million × 278 = Approximately 6.42 billion PKR

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Conclusion:

This loss not only places a heavy burden on India’s financial resources but also negatively impacts its defense planning. The failure and destruction of such expensive and advanced drones like Harop raise serious questions about India’s military strategy.

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