Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd. Hands Over Nagastra 2 to the Indian Army

Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd., the defence‑maker based in Nagpur, announced this week that the Indian Army has taken delivery of its newest loitering munition – the Nagastra 2. It’s not just another piece of kit; the system is a blend of day‑and‑night optics, a hefty 4 kg tandem shaped‑charge warhead and a suite of electronic‑counter‑counter‑measure (ECCM) features that let it survive in a jam‑filled battlefield.

The Nagastra 2 can loiter for up to an hour, cruising at low altitude while its onboard camera – capable of both visual and thermal imaging – keeps an eye on the ground. When a target is identified, the munition can either be recovered and reused within a 25 km radius or launched in a fire‑and‑forget mode that reaches out to 50 km. Its shaped‑charge is rated to punch through as much as 650 mm of rolled homogeneous armour, making it a credible threat to modern main‑battle tanks.

What really sets Nagastra 2 apart is its resilience against electronic warfare. The ECCM package is designed to shrug off GPS spoofing, communication jamming and other forms of electronic interference that are becoming commonplace on today’s battlefields. During technical trials at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in August 2026, the system met every performance and ECCM benchmark, impressing senior Army officers who witnessed the live‑fire demonstrations.

This delivery builds on an earlier contract from 2025, when the Army ordered roughly 450 units of the predecessor, Nagastra‑1R. The 1R was praised for its low‑cost, fully reusable launchers and its 360° gimbal camera – with an optional thermal pod for night ops – plus proprietary encryption for video and telemetry streams. It also boasted a 2‑metre circular error probable (CEP) and more than 80 % indigenous content, having been field‑tested in tough environments from Ladakh’s high altitudes to Babina’s desert terrain.

For India’s defence ecosystem, the Nagastra 2 marks another stride toward self‑reliance. By fielding a home‑grown loitering munition that can operate in contested electronic environments, the Indian Army reduces its dependence on foreign suppliers and gains a tactical edge that aligns with the nation’s ‘Make in India’ vision for defence.

While the official numbers of units delivered remain confidential, sources say the initial batch will be integrated with existing armoured formations in the north‑west sector, where the threat of hostile tank incursions is highest. As the Army rolls out the system, training modules are already being prepared to ensure crews can exploit the munition’s full range of capabilities.