Air force seeks to make Garud Commandos deadlier with loitering munitions

The Indian Air Force has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for man‑portable loitering munitions. These weapons are to equip the Garud special forces, providing them with a new precision strike capability. The RFI seeks indigenous solutions under the Make in India initiative and sets clear technical benchmarks. The system must be man‑portable, have a minimum range of 40 kilometres, remain airborne for more than two hours, and be capable of carrying both high‑explosive and high‑explosive anti‑tank warheads to take on different types of targets. This option will provide the air force’s special forces with independent strike options.Loitering munitions are designed to combine the functions of a surveillance drone and a guided weapon. Once launched, they can loiter over target areas, transmitting real‑time imagery and strike when a suitable target is identified.