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Relevance: GS-III (Defense Technology, Indigenization of Technology, Internal Security) Source: Defence News Reports, July 2026

1 · What exactly happened?

Recently, an advanced Indian Navy drone—the Drishti-10 Starliner—crashed into an open field near a village in Porbandar, Gujarat, during a routine training flight.

Thankfully, no one on the ground was hurt. The Navy immediately collected the broken pieces and set up a strict Board of Inquiry (BoI) to investigate. Experts suspect a technical glitch, but the exact reason is still unknown.

2 · What is the Drishti-10 Starliner?

The Drishti-10 is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). It is basically an Indian-made version of a very famous Israeli drone called the Hermes-900. It is designed to fly high in the sky for a very long time, acting as an invisible “eye in the sky” for the military.

The Capability
MALE UAV
It is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance drone. It can fly continuously for 36 hours at an altitude of 30,000 feet, scanning massive areas of the ocean without needing a break.
Make in India
Private Sector Push
Instead of just buying them from Israel, the drone is manufactured locally by Adani Defence and Aerospace in Hyderabad, helping India learn complex aerospace technology.
The Big Concern
A Repeated Problem
This isn’t the first time. Last January, another Drishti-10 crashed into the Arabian Sea during its testing phase because it lost its communication link.
The Danger
Losing our “Eyes”
Two crashes raise serious questions about how reliable the drone is. The Navy desperately needs these drones to keep a strict watch on Chinese ships secretly entering the Indian Ocean.

  • How was it bought? The Navy didn’t buy these drones through the normal, slow, years-long process. Because of urgent security needs, they bought them using the Emergency Procurement (EP) Route.
  • What is Emergency Power? To cut red tape, the Ministry of Defence allows military Vice Chiefs to quickly sign contracts up to ₹300 crore to buy critical weapons immediately, without waiting for slow government approvals.
  • Technology Transfer (ToT): The making of Drishti-10 is a great example of ToT. Israel gave India the technology, and our private companies are learning how to build it locally, which is crucial for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance in defense).

UPSC Prelims Quick Facts
Drishti-10 Starliner An Indian-manufactured Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, based on Israel’s Hermes-900 UAV.
MALE UAV A drone designed to fly at medium altitudes (10,000 to 30,000 feet) for long durations (24 to 48 hours), primarily used for spying and surveillance.
Emergency Financial Powers A special rule allowing the Armed Forces to skip slow paperwork and rapidly buy critical equipment worth up to ₹300 crore per deal.
ToT (Transfer of Technology) An agreement where a foreign company teaches an Indian company how to manufacture complex military hardware domestically.

MCQ Practice Question
Q. With reference to the Defence Acquisition mechanisms in India, consider the following statements:

  1. The Emergency Financial Powers allow the Armed Forces to bypass the standard Defence Acquisition Procedure to urgently procure critical equipment.
  2. Under the Emergency Procurement route, the Vice Chiefs of the armed forces are empowered to sign contracts worth up to ₹3,000 crore without seeking approval from the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).
  3. The Drishti-10 Starliner is an indigenously manufactured Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV based on Israeli technology.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only    (b) 1 and 3 only    (c) 2 and 3 only    (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

  • Statement 1 — Correct: Emergency powers were specifically created to cut red tape and allow the rapid purchase of critical defense items.
  • Statement 2 — Incorrect (the trap): The financial limit for the Vice Chiefs under the emergency route is ₹300 crore per proposal, not the massive amount of ₹3,000 crore.
  • Statement 3 — Correct: The Drishti-10 is indeed a MALE UAV locally assembled by Adani Defence, based on the design of Israel’s Hermes-900.
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