Show Notes
Kamikaze drones, or loitering munitions, have been everywhere in recent conflicts, from the Russia-Ukraine war to battles in the Middle East. They're cheap, deadly, and changing how militaries think about strikes and defence.
In this episode, host Dev Goswami sits down with defence journalist Sandeep Unnithan to trace the idea back to its WWII origins and ask why India, despite having a buzzing drone startup scene, still doesn't have its own kamikaze drones.
The two break down:
- What kamikaze meant in WWII and how the idea evolved into unmanned drones.
- How these drones are being used in Ukraine and what lessons India should take.
- Why India relied on Israeli Harop drones in Operation Sindoor.
- Procurement and development blind spots that explain India's slow adoption.
- Why India urgently needs to build and maintain a credible kamikaze drone force.
Produced by Taniya Dutta
Sound Mix by Suraj Singh
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