The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to procure a dedicated Drone Catcher System for the Indian Army, amid rising concern about the use of small, low-radar-cross-section (RCS) unmanned aerial systems.

The RFI, released on Friday, seeks industry input on a system capable of detecting, tracking, and neutralising , including those deployed in swarms. The MoD has not specified the quantity to be acquired.

Officials said the requirement follows a steady increase in the use of small drones in recent conflicts and operations. Their limited radar signature makes them difficult to detect with conventional air defence systems. Sources pointed to operational lessons, including their employment during Operation Sindoor, as underlining the need for a specialised counter-drone capability.

The sensor must be based on Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) technology or better. It must provide 360-degree coverage and scan large volumes of airspace. The Army wants the system to detect and track at least 20 drones simultaneously. It should also prioritise and designate hostile targets to the interceptor through the GCS.

The Ground Control Station will function as the command node. It will relay sensor data to the drone catcher over a secure data link. The GCS will display telemetry from hostile drones, compute targeting solutions on an onboard processor, and pass engagement data to the interceptor. A laptop- or tablet-based interface has been specified for real-time monitoring and control.

The drone catcher itself must be capable of autonomous operation. Once cued by the GCS, it should acquire the designated target and neutralise it using a net-based capture mechanism.