New Delhi: India is looking to induct hypersonic missiles, nuclear propulsion for aircraft carriers and warships, next-gen tanks, a variety of unmanned systems and directed-energy weapons as mentioned in the roadmap for the armed forces over the next 15 years.
Outlined in the ‘Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) 2025’, released recently by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the document sets out the technologies, performance parameters and life cycles the services are seeking, giving Indian manufacturers and research institutions early visibility so they can align R&D and production with future procurement needs, with indigenisation as the central aim.
The Navy has outlined plans to induct 10 nuclear propulsion systems for aircraft carriers and other large surface combatants, giving its warships virtually unlimited endurance at sea.
The roadmap reiterates the proposal for a new aircraft carrier with a planned 40-year service life, as also noted in the 2018 edition, which would raise India’s carrier fleet to three.
The carrier is said to be equipped with an indigenously developed Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), allowing it to launch heavier fighters, airborne early warning aircraft and UAVs “in all sea states”. Predictive maintenance through a “digital twin” is also planned, making the ship more networked and efficient than its predecessors.
Surface combatant plans include five to 10 next-generation destroyers, seven corvettes and four landing platform docks (LPDs) of about 29,000 tonnes each.
In addition, the Navy has projected a requirement for 100 Next Generation Fast Interceptor Craft, designed to intercept high-speed vessels and conduct seaward anti-terrorist patrols. Over the next 15 years, it also plans to acquire 150 torpedoes with ranges beyond 25 km and the ability to operate at depths of up to 450 metres.
The roadmap further specifies a need for 20 high-endurance autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), capable of long-range surveillance and mine countermeasures, with the ability to re-task missions autonomously.
Meanwhile, the Army is looking to replace its ageing T-72 fleet with 1,800 Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs), each with a 40-year service life.
These tanks are to be deployed along the northern and western borders and will be equipped with cyber-hardened communications, counter-jamming systems, hybrid navigation with inertial backup and the ability to launch loitering munitions in coordination with drones.
The Army has also called for 300-400 light tanks for high-altitude operations in Ladakh and other mountain sectors. These will also integrate ISR and targeting systems, operate tethered drones and counter-drone tools.
Furthermore, the roadmap mentions a requirement of 50,000 fourth and fifth-generation Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) with a range of 5 km, tandem HEAT warheads and multiple firing modes. Another 50,000 ATGMs are planned for tank-mounted launchers.
Artillery requirements include 6,00,000 rounds across calibres, with an emphasis on precision-guided munitions.
Following Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the centrality of UAVs in modern combat, unmanned and robotic systems have emerged as a major focus.
The Army has projected a need for 70 medium- and high-altitude long-endurance (MALE/HALE) UAVs with more than 30 hours of endurance, 800 integrated surveillance-and-strike systems combining drones with loitering munitions, and 400 ultra-light precision-guided missiles that can be deployed from UAVs. The roadmap also specifies more than 700 robotic counter-IED systems.
Moreover, the roadmap points out AI-enabled systems for automatic detection and classification of emitters, along with adaptive jammers capable of creating a 15-km “electronic denial bubble” to protect manoeuvre forces.
In the information domain, the roadmap calls for AI/ML-based deepfake detection tools to safeguard operational decision-making against disinformation.
The Air Force’s future plans include directed-energy weapons. The roadmap specifies 10-15 Tactical High-Energy Laser systems, with an initial range of 6-8 km to be extended later to 15 km. These will be complemented by high-power microwave systems designed to disable incoming precision-guided munitions and hostile electronics.
The IAF is also looking at 150 stealth bomber drones, capable of deep-strike missions, along with over 100 remotely piloted aircraft. The roadmap also lists hundreds of precision-guided munitions, expanding the service’s standoff strike options.
For persistent surveillance, the Air Force has projected a requirement for 75 High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS), each able to operate above 60,000 ft for more than two months with AI-assisted autonomy, and 20 stratospheric airships that can loiter at around 20 km altitude for weeks to months. Both are intended to carry ISR and communications payloads to provide continuous coverage.
The tri-services have projected a requirement for scramjet propulsion to develop hypersonic missiles, with an indicative demand of over 500 units.
Scramjets sustain flight above Mach 5 by compressing air for combustion, enabling long-range, high-speed strikes that cut reaction time and overwhelm defences. The numbers suggest a plan to field hypersonic capability across all three services.
The services have proposed universal launcher systems for multiple missile types across land, sea and air platforms, with at least 100 units planned.
They are also seeking a new surface-to-surface missile under 1 tonne, with a range of more than 150 km for anti-ship and land-attack roles. The Navy has indicated a requirement for about 200 of these systems.
On the cyber front, the roadmap lists an AI-as-a-service platform for 4,000 concurrent users, automated red-teaming tools, indigenous vulnerability scanners and quantum key distribution networks.
Furthemore, anticipating warfare in the realm of space and cyber, the services have also called for satellite-hardening, post-quantum secure communications and satellite-based laser range finders.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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