India’s Low-Cost Strike Drones: Sheshnag-150 and Project KAL | 13 Mar 2026

Why in News? 

Low-cost drones are reshaping warfare, as seen in Ukraine for the last four years, and now in the Iran war. Iran's low-cost Shahed drones have inspired the US's LUCAS. In India, low-cost, deep-strike drone projects like Sheshnag-150 and Project KAL are picking pace. 

Key Points: 

  • Equivalents to Iran's Shahed: India has fast-tracked several projects specifically designed to match the "low-cost, long-range" profile of the Shahed-136:  
  • Sheshnaag-150: Developed by Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT), this is India’s closest equivalent to the Shahed. 
    • Range: Over 1,000 km. 
    • Payload: Carries a 25–40 kg warhead. 
    • Key Feature: Unlike the simpler Shahed, it uses AI-powered swarm technology, allowing multiple units to coordinate autonomously to saturate and overwhelm enemy air defences. 
  • Project KAL: A classified long-range kamikaze drone project by Noida-based IG Drones. 
    • It is designed for deep-penetration strikes with a range of up to 1,000 km and an endurance of 3 to 5 hours.  
  • Inducted Low-Cost Tactical Drones: For frontline and infantry use, the Indian Army has already inducted smaller, man-portable suicide drones:  
  • Nagastra-1: India's first indigenous man-portable suicide drone, developed by Solar Industries (EEL). 
    • Capability: Precision strikes with 2-metre accuracy and a range of up to 30 km. 
    • Cost Efficiency: Designed as a cheap solution to target lower-end threats like terrorist launch pads without risking soldiers. 
  • SkyStriker: A loitering munition developed by Alpha Design (ADTL) in collaboration with Israel’s Elbit Systems.  
    • It has a range of 100 km and was recently deployed in forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir.  
  • ALFA-S (Air Launched Flexible Asset - Swarm): A unique system being developed by HAL and NewSpace Research.  
    • These are swarm drones launched from fighter jets (like the Su-30MKI or Jaguar) that can autonomously identify and strike targets such as surface-to-air missiles and radars.