Aircraft & UAVs

Nagastra-1

Nagastra-1 is an Indian man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition developed for the Indian Army by Economic Explosives Limited and Solar Group partners. It combines day-night surveillance, operator control, autonomous range, and a small high-explosive fragmentation warhead for precision strikes, and Indian defence ministry reporting identified Nagastra drones as used during Operation Sindoor in the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict.

2025 India-Pakistan ConflictIndia

Conflict side: India
Built by: Economic Explosives LimitedSolar Defence and Aerospace Limited
Built in: India

Nagastra-1, Man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs

Image source: Nagastra-1 and Nagastra-2 Loitering Drones Image

Profile

Type: Man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition
Conflict side: India
Origin: India
Service note: Inducted in the mid-2020s

UAV loitering munition precision fires strike

Service History

In service: Delivered to the Indian Army from 2024
Used by: Indian Army
Wars: 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict

Production History

Designer: Economic Explosives Limited and Z-Motion Autonomous Systems
Designed: Early 2020s
Built by: Economic Explosives LimitedSolar Defence and Aerospace Limited
Built in: India
Unit cost: Not publicly confirmed
Produced: 2024-present
Number built: At least 120 delivered in the initial batch reported in 2024
Variants: Nagastra-1, Nagastra-1R, Nagastra-2, Nagastra-3

Specifications

Launch platform: Man-portable pneumatic launcher
Air vehicle: Fixed-wing electric UAV
Air vehicle weight: About 9 kg
System weight: About 30 kg in two rucksacks
Endurance: About 30 minutes
Range: 15 km man-in-the-loop; 30 km autonomous mode
Warhead: 1 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead for soft-skin targets
Sensors: Day and night surveillance cameras
Recovery: Mission-abort and parachute soft-landing capability
Indigenous content: Reported as more than 75 percent

Conflict Usage

2025 India-Pakistan Conflict: Side: IndiaRole: Precision loitering munition strikeprecision fires strike UAV
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.

Nagastra-1 Images

Nagastra-1, Man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1 — Source: Nagastra-1 and Nagastra-2 Loitering Drones Image

Nagastra-1, Man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2 — Source: Nagastra Loitering Drone on Launch Platform Image

Nagastra-1, Man-portable fixed-wing loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3 — Source: Nagastra Loitering Drone Warhead Image

Related Weapon Systems

Warmate, Loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsWarmateLoitering munitionWarmate is a Polish electric loitering munition from WB Electronics/WB Group, designed as a portable reconnaissance-strike system with interchangeable warheads, autonomous flight modes, and video-guided terminal attack. In the Russia-Ukraine War it has been documented in Ukrainian service for precision attacks on Russian air-defense and surveillance radars.

Aeronautics Orbiter 1K, Class 1 loitering munition UAS, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 1KClass 1 loitering munition UASThe Aeronautics Orbiter 1K is an Israeli electric loitering munition derived from the Orbiter mini-UAS family, combining EO/IR surveillance with a fragmentation warhead for attacks on soft targets. Azerbaijan fielded Orbiter 1K systems alongside other Israeli and Turkish unmanned weapons during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

ZALA Lancet, Loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsZALA LancetLoitering munitionThe ZALA Lancet is a Russian electric loitering munition with a distinctive dual X-wing layout, launched from a catapult and guided by an onboard television channel for terminal attack. In the Russia-Ukraine War it became one of Russia's prominent tactical strike UAVs, used against Ukrainian artillery, air-defense systems, armor, vehicles, and other battlefield targets.

IAI Harop, Long-range loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsIAI HaropLong-range loitering munitionThe IAI Harop is an Israeli long-range loitering munition that combines UAV-style sensing with a one-way precision strike payload. In the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Azerbaijan used Harop alongside other Turkish and Israeli unmanned systems to attack Armenian forces and air-defense-related targets.

Shahpar-II, Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsShahpar-IIMedium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicleShahpar-II is a Pakistani GIDS medium-altitude, long-endurance UCAV built for ISR and armed missions, with SATCOM-capable control, electro-optical or other payload options, and four wing hardpoints. In the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict, Reuters reporting cited Pakistani sources saying Pakistan depended on Shahpar-II during the May 8 drone deployment, making it part of the conflict's UAV and counter-air-defense record.

SkyStriker loitering munition, Tactical loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsSkyStriker loitering munitionTactical loitering munitionSkyStriker is an Israeli tactical loitering munition built by Elbit Systems for autonomous precision strikes. During the Israel-Hamas War, reporting in April 2025 identified Israeli use of SkyStriker drones in Gaza attacks, including strikes in Jabaliya, Beit Lahia, and Mawasi Khan Younis.

Sources

Solar Defence Facility and Nagastra Operation Sindoor UsePublisher: Press Information Bureau, Government of India | Note: Supports manufacturer context and 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict direct-use claim: Nagastra drones manufactured by Solar Group were used by India during Operation Sindoor and accurately struck terrorist targets. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Operation Sindoor Aatmanirbhar InnovationPublisher: Press Information Bureau, Government of India | Note: Supports background context that loitering munitions and indigenous drone-related systems were used in Operation Sindoor. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Army Inducts Indigenous Nagastra-1 Precision Kamikaze DronesPublisher: NDTV / ANI | Note: Supports Nagastra-1 specifications, Indian Army delivery, EEL/Z-Motion development background, and indigenous-content claims. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Nagastra-1 and Nagastra-2 Loitering Drones ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Government of India photograph of Nagastra loitering drones at Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited, licensed under the Government Open Data License - India. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Nagastra Loitering Drone on Launch Platform ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Government of India photograph showing a Solar Group Nagastra loitering drone on a launch platform, licensed under the Government Open Data License - India. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Nagastra Loitering Drone Warhead ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Government of India photograph of Solar Group Nagastra loitering-drone warhead displays, licensed under the Government Open Data License - India. | Accessed: 2026-06-21