Key Points:
- MoDP holds session with private drone companies.
- Global conflicts highlight decisive role of drones.
- Firms raise regulatory, operational, technical challenges.
- Govt promises policy support, saying their input would be incorporated into future policy making.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has stepped up efforts to develop a domestic drone industry, with officials and private-sector firms emphasising the growing role of unmanned systems in modern warfare and surveillance.
In this regard, an interactive session was held by the Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) at its Directorate General Research and Development Establishment in Rawalpindi, bringing together leading companies involved in the manufacturing and development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), according to a handout issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Information.
The meeting, chaired by Secretary Defence Production Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Chiragh Haider, focused on improving coordination between the public and private sectors in a field that has rapidly gained strategic importance.
Participants noted that recent global conflicts have underscored the decisive role of drones in contemporary warfare, including intelligence gathering, border monitoring and precision strikes.
The discussion highlighted how unmanned systems are increasingly shaping battlefield dynamics and defence planning worldwide.
Representatives of private firms shared operational challenges, regulatory concerns and technical recommendations with government officials, calling for clearer policy frameworks and greater institutional support to scale up local production.
In response, the Ministry of Defence Production assured stakeholders that their input would be incorporated into future policymaking.
Officials reiterated commitments to streamline regulatory procedures, expand testing infrastructure, and improve procurement mechanisms, while also supporting research and development in the sector.
The session concluded with a shared commitment to “enhance cooperation between state institutions and private technology firms to accelerate the development of locally produced unmanned aerial capabilities in line with emerging security requirements as it has become a national Priority for Pakistan.”
Drones have quickly emerged as one of the most influential weapons in modern warfare, transforming conflicts from Ukraine and Gaza to the Gulf and South Asia.
The Russia-Ukraine war showed how relatively low-cost unmanned systems can destroy tanks, naval vessels, and critical infrastructure, while recent Iran-Israel tensions and incidents around the Strait of Hormuz have underscored the increasing use of long-range drones alongside missiles in regional confrontations.
