Indian Army inducts Nagastra-1, country’s first ‘Kamikaze drone’
New Delhi: In a step towards self-reliance in the defense sector, the Indian Army has inducted Nagastra-1, the country's first indigenously developed loitering munition, on Friday. With 75% of its components sourced locally, the ‘Kamikaze drone’ marks a major milestone in India's defense capabilities.
Nagastra-1, also known as a ‘suicide drone,’ is designed to loiter around a target area and then strike by crashing into the specific target. Combining features of a cruise missile and a combat drone, it can hit targets up to 15 kilometers away with a 1.5 kg warhead and has an autonomous mode range of 30 kilometers. The drone is GPS-enabled and lightweight, allowing a single soldier to carry it across various terrains. Weighing 9 kilograms, the fixed-wing electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has an endurance of 30 minutes.
The drone's unique electric propulsion system ensures it operates with a low acoustic signature, making it virtually undetectable when flying at heights above 200 meters. Developed in collaboration with Z-motion Autonomous Systems Private Ltd, a Bengaluru-based company, the system includes a ground control station, communication controls, payload, and a pneumatic launcher.
Equipped with night-vision cameras, Nagastra-1 can operate effectively in darkness. Although designed to explode on the target, it can be recovered for reuse by aborting the mission mid-air. It also features a parachute recovery system, setting it apart from similar drones used globally. Recent conflicts in regions such as Russia, Ukraine, and Yemen have seen extensive use of drone technologies, highlighting their strategic importance.
Produced by Solar Industries, Nagpur, Nagastra-1 is a notable addition to India's military arsenal. The Army has placed an order for 480 units of the drone. A pre-delivery inspection of Nagastra-1 was conducted from May 21-25, after which 120 units were delivered to the Army ammunition depot at Pulgaon, near Wardha in Maharashtra.
With a hit accuracy of 2 meters, the Indian Army aims to enhance its striking capabilities against enemy training camps and launch pads across the borders, as well as effectively neutralize infiltrators.
#WATCH | The first indigenous Loitering Munition, Nagastra–1, developed by Solar Industries, Nagpur, has been delivered to the Indian Army
— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2024
Nagastra -1, in a 'kamikaze mode' can neutralize any hostile threat with GPS-enabled precision strike with an accuracy of 2m. The… pic.twitter.com/kWeehBMGvW
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Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of killing husband during honeymoon in Meghalaya, granted bail
Shillong (PTI): A court in Meghalaya on Tuesday granted bail to Indore resident Sonam Raghuvanshi, who allegedly got her husband killed during their honeymoon in the northeastern state in 2025.
Sonam’s husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, went missing on May 23 last year during the couple’s honeymoon, and his mutilated body was found on June 2 from a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra area of East Khasi Hills district. Sonam and several others, including her alleged boyfriend, were arrested in the case.
"The accused has been granted bail by the court. However, necessary legal procedures are being followed and the police will continue to pursue the matter as per law," SP Vivek Syiem told PTI.
According to police, Indore-based transport businessman Raja Raghuvanshi married Sonam on May 11, 2025, in Indore, and the couple left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 20.
The autopsy report of Raja Raghuvanshi indicated that he was hit twice with a sharp object on his head.
Sonam surrendered on June 8 before the police in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district.
In September last year, the Meghalaya Police submitted a 790-page charge sheet, naming eight people, including his wife Sonam and her alleged boyfriend, as the accused.
