Indian Navy Issues RFI for Ship-Launched Loitering Munitions With 1,000 km Range
- The MoD issued an RFI for ship-launched loitering munitions with a strike range of at least 1,000 km and nine hours of loiter endurance.
- The system must cruise above 75 knots and reach terminal-attack speeds over 200 knots, at a 15,000 ft ceiling with a sub-1 sq m radar cross-section.
- The procurement is expected under Buy (Indian-IDDM) preference, with potential contenders including Solar Industries, Nibe, Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems.
- Sources (NDTV Profit) estimate the programme value at Rs 15,000-18,000 crore - among the largest indigenous naval strike-munition programmes.
- The MoD issued an RFI for ship-launched loitering munitions with a strike range of at least 1,000 km and nine hours of loiter endurance.
- The system must cruise above 75 knots and reach terminal-attack speeds over 200 knots, at a 15,000 ft ceiling with a sub-1 sq m radar cross-section.
- The procurement is expected under Buy (Indian-IDDM) preference, with potential contenders including Solar Industries, Nibe, Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems.
- Sources (NDTV Profit) estimate the programme value at Rs 15,000-18,000 crore - among the largest indigenous naval strike-munition programmes.
- The Tribune (13 Aug 2026): https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/defence/indian-navy-moves-to-acquire-ship-launched-kamikaze-drones/
- NDTV Profit (13 Aug 2026): https://www.ndtvprofit.com/economy/bharat-forge-solar-industries-in-fray-for-navys-rs-18-000-crore-loitering-munition-project-report-11901187
- Marine Insight (13 Aug 2026): https://www.marineinsight.com/indian-navy-to-acquire-new-class-of-ship-launched-kamikaze-drones-that-can-hit-targets-1000-km-away/
- IDRW (13 Aug 2026): https://idrw.org/mod-issues-rfi-for-ship-launched-loitering-munition-with-1000km-range-and-9-hour-loiter-time-for-indian-navy/
The Ministry of Defence has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a ship-launched medium-range loitering-munition system for the Indian Navy, the first stage of the tendering process. Reported on 13 August 2026, the RFI specifies a strike range of at least 1,000 kilometres, loiter endurance of nine hours or more, cruising speed above 75 knots and terminal attack speed exceeding 200 knots. The system must operate at a ceiling of 15,000 feet with a radar cross-section below one square metre, and carry an electro-optical and infrared seeker for day-and-night target identification. The procurement is expected to be routed to Indian industry under Buy (Indian-IDDM), Buy (Indian) and Buy & Make (Indian) preference categories, with potential contenders including Solar Industries, Nibe, Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems. Sources cited by NDTV Profit estimate the programme value at Rs 15,000-18,000 crore.
The strategic significance lies in the shift from cruise missiles to loitering munitions as a naval long-range precision-strike option. Ship-launched loitering munitions combine surveillance and strike in a single system - flying to a target area, circling to search, then diving in a terminal attack - blurring the line between a reconnaissance drone and a precision-guided missile. At a cost well below cruise missiles, they suit mass deployment and saturation attacks that can overwhelm adversary defences, and a 1,000 km range extends India's naval strike envelope deep into contested zones against both maritime and land targets from stand-off distance.
The dependency frame is clear. India's naval long-range strike has historically leaned on cruise-missile programmes such as BrahMos and Nirbhay. By seeking indigenous loitering munitions under Buy (Indian-IDDM) - the highest preference for domestically designed and developed systems - the Ministry is deliberately routing this capability through domestic industry. The requirement for dual RF and SATCOM data links, autonomous navigation between pre-set coordinates, and hand-off of control between ships and shore stations reflects a demanding systems-integration challenge that Indian manufacturers must now meet.
The test to watch is whether the RFI progresses to a formal tender with a shortlist of Indian manufacturers, and whether the estimated Rs 15,000-18,000 crore programme draws sufficient domestic industrial capacity to meet the nine-hour endurance and 1,000 km range specifications. If executed under Buy (Indian-IDDM), it would be one of the largest indigenous naval strike-munition programmes in India's history, reshaping maritime deterrence without committing manned platforms to direct risk.
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