The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had issued two Technology Perspective & Capability Roadmaps (TPCRs); one in April 2013 and a subsequent one in 2018. The 2013 TPCR had identified Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) and Anti-Satellite (ASAT) weapons as thrust areas over the next 15 years. Among the futuristic weapons to be developed, the TPCR mentioned a 25-kilowatt laser system under development to hit a missile in terminal phase at a distance of 5-7 km. DEWs, along with space security, cyber-security and hypersonic vehicles were also described as future projects.

April 13, 2025 witnessed India achieve a masterclass milestone in successfully demonstrating its capability to destroy fixed-wing aircraft, missiles, and swarm drones using a 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system

April 13, 2025 witnessed India achieve a masterclass milestone in successfully demonstrating its capability to destroy fixed-wing aircraft, missiles, and swarm drones using a 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system. The 30-kilowatt laser-based DEW system was developed by DRDO's Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad along with other labs, academic institutions and Indian industries. The trial was carried out at the National Open Air Range, Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. In the trials, the indigenously designed and developed Mk-II (A) DEW system successfully engaged fixed-wing drones at long range, thwarted a multiple drone attack, and destroyed enemy surveillance sensors and antennae.

By successfully demonstrating this technology, India has joined the elite list of countries like the United States, China and Russia having advanced laser weapon capabilities. The DRDO is now ready for production and deployment of this DEW across various military platforms. DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V. Kamat said, "This is just the beginning of the journey. The synergy that this lab has achieved with other DRDO labs, industry and academia, I am sure we will reach our destination soon."

The 30-kilowatt laser-based DEW system was developed by DRDO's Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad along with other labs, academic institutions and Indian industries

Kamat further said, "We are also working on other high energy systems like high energy microwaves, electromagnetic pulse. So, we are working on a number of technologies that will give us Star Wars capability. What you saw today was one of the components of Star Wars technologies. As far as I know, it is the United States, Russia and China that have demonstrated this capability. Israel is also working on similar capabilities, I would say we are the fourth or fifth country in the world to demonstrate this system." Jagannath Nayak, Director of the Centre for High Energy System, and Sciences (CHESS), DRDO, said, "Whatever we have achieved today is a great success. This is one of the new and emerging weapon systems."

This 30-kilowatt laser weapon system features advanced electronic warfare capabilities, including jamming communication and satellite signals. It is equipped with a 360-degree Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor for precise targeting and can be rapidly deployed via air, rail, road, or sea. The DEW can destroy aerial threats like drones and helicopters in a range of 5 km. B.K. Das, Director General (Electronics & Communication System) of DRDO, said: "For the first time, we are showing a technology in use and its devastation. This shows how far we are going in our technology maturity... What you saw is a completely indigenous product of many DRDO laboratories working in synergy with startups, academic institutions and industries. We are confident that we are going to reach high power very soon... We are planning to deploy similar systems with slight modifications on ships to prove the capability."

The lightning speed of engagement, the precision and the lethality delivered at the target within a few seconds made it the most potent counter drone system

The DRDO said in a statement, "Indigenously designed and developed Mk-II (A) DEW system was demonstrated in its entire spectrum of capability by engaging the fixed wing drones at long range, thwarting a multiple drone attack and destroying enemy surveillance sensors and antennae. The lightning speed of engagement, the precision and the lethality delivered at the target within a few seconds made it the most potent counter drone system. The requirement for cost-effective defence solutions to offset the low-cost drone attacks is driving the adoption of DEWs by military organisations worldwide. Cost of firing it for a few seconds is equivalent to the cost of a couple of litres of petrol. Therefore, it has the potential to be a long-term and low-cost alternative to defeat the target."

Noting that proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the emergence of drone swarms as asymmetric threats are driving the demand for directed energy weapons with counter-UAS and counter-swarm capabilities, the DRDO has said that the DEW would soon be replacing traditional kinetic weapons and missile defence systems due to its ease of operation and cost effectiveness.

The lightning speed of engagement, the precision and the lethality delivered at the target within a few seconds made it the most potent counter drone system

According to analysts, the indigenous 30-kilowatt DEW uses lasers for precision strikes, whereas, the Chinese 'Bullet Curtain' laser-based system is for area coverage using a barrage of projectiles; the Chinese weapon system is better suited for large-scale drone swarms. Also, the India system is ideal for urban or sensitive environments since it minimises collateral damage, whereas the Chinese system is more suited for open battlefields.

Indigenous laser weapon systems were covered in these columns on April 13, 2024. Exactly one year later, India has achieved monumental success by successfully demonstrating the successful trial of a Mk-II(A) Laser-based DEW system. As for the Chinese 'Bullet Curtain' suited to target swarm drones, the DRDO can be expected to be already working on such a laser-based variant.