Nagastra-1 is an Indian man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition developed for the Indian Army by Economic Explosives Limited, now tied publicly to Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited. It combines day-night surveillance, operator control, autonomous range, and a small high-explosive fragmentation warhead for precision strikes, while official Indian reporting identified Nagastra drones as used during Operation Sindoor in the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict.
India's defence ministry said Solar Group's Nagastra drones were successfully used during Operation Sindoor, accurately striking terrorist targets; public sources do not give a munition-by-munition target list.
Official product listings and later procurement reporting show Nagastra-1 sitting inside a growing Solar Defence loitering-munition line. The public record is strongest for Nagastra-1 and Nagastra-1R; other family names are listed by India's Department of Defence Production but have less public technical detail.
| Family item | Public status | Catalog treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Nagastra-1 | Delivered to the Indian Army from 2024 and identified by India's defence ministry in Operation Sindoor context. | Main weapon record. |
| Nagastra-1R | About 450 units ordered in 2025, with reporting on night-operation sensor options and reusable launcher-system context. | Structured variant until a separate directly sourced conflict-use page is justified. |
| Nagastra FPV, Nagastra-1B, Man Portable LMS, Nagastra-2, Nagastra-2B, Nagastra-3 | Listed in a 2026 Department of Defence Production product page for Solar Defence and Aerospace loitering munitions. | Family variants without separate catalog records because public conflict-use sourcing remains limited. |
Nagastra-1 is best understood as a small complete loitering-munition kit rather than only the expendable air vehicle. Public reporting describes a two-rucksack system with launch, control, communication, sensor, and payload elements.
| Element | Sourced role | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-wing electric air vehicle | About 9 kg airframe with 30-minute endurance | Keeps the strike munition man-portable while retaining loiter time for target search. |
| Ground control and communication set | Operator control, communication control, and payload links | Supports man-in-the-loop operation inside the reported 15 km control range. |
| Pneumatic launcher | Portable launch mechanism carried with the system | Allows use without a runway or vehicle-mounted rail. |
| Recovery function | Mission abort and parachute soft landing | Lets the operator recover the air vehicle when a strike is not authorized or a target is not confirmed. |
Public Indian government and Solar-family reporting describe Nagastra as a broader loitering-munition family rather than a single one-off air vehicle.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nagastra-1R | Reusable upgraded Nagastra-1 derivative | Reported Army order for about 450 units, with night-operation sensor options and reusable launcher-system context. Sources: ETGovernment Army Loitering Munition Contracts, Times of India Nagastra-1R Order |
| Nagastra FPV | First-person-view loitering munition family member | Listed by India's Department of Defence Production among Solar Defence and Aerospace loitering-munition product variants. Sources: Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions |
| Nagastra-1B | Nagastra family member | Listed by India's Department of Defence Production among Solar Defence and Aerospace loitering-munition product variants. Sources: Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions |
| Man Portable LMS | Man-portable loitering munition system | The Department of Defence Production lists Man Portable LMS alongside Nagastra-1 and Nagastra-1R orders for Solar Defence and Aerospace. Sources: Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions |
| Nagastra-2 | Longer-range family development | Public reporting describes Nagastra-2 as a follow-on version under development with greater range and payload than the baseline system. Sources: Times of India Nagastra-1R Order, Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions |
| Nagastra-2B | Nagastra-2 family member | Listed by India's Department of Defence Production among Solar Defence and Aerospace loitering-munition product variants. Sources: Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions |
| Nagastra-3 | Longer-range family development | Public reporting describes Nagastra-3 as another follow-on version under development with greater range and payload than Nagastra-1. Sources: Times of India Nagastra-1R Order, Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions |
NDTV/ANI reported that pre-delivery inspection for the first batch had been completed in May 2024 before 120 loitering munitions were delivered to Pulgaon.
Sources: Army Inducts Indigenous Nagastra-1 Precision Kamikaze Drones
ETGovernment reported an Army contract for about 450 Nagastra-1R loitering munitions from Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited.
Sources: ETGovernment Army Loitering Munition Contracts
India's defence ministry said Solar Group Nagastra drones had been used during Operation Sindoor and struck terrorist targets.
Sources: Solar Defence Facility and Nagastra Operation Sindoor Use
India's Department of Defence Production listed Solar Defence and Aerospace loitering munitions including Nagastra, Nagastra-1R, Nagastra FPV, Nagastra-1B, Man Portable LMS, Nagastra-2, Nagastra-2B, and Nagastra-3.
Sources: Department of Defence Production Loitering Munitions
