The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is set to acquire kamikaze drones for counter-insurgency operations, according to a document circulated to stakeholders on Monday seeking information, by month-end, on products they can supply.
Kamikaze drones are loitering munitions designed to destroy themselves in order to destroy a specific target . If acquired soon, kamikaze drones could prove useful in new conflict areas. According to the Quality Requirements (QRs) and Trial Directives circulated to stakeholders on Monday, the drones must carry two high-explosive warheads weighing a minimum of 1.5kg. They must have a range of at least 15km and an endurance of at least 30 minutes of flight time while carrying the payload.
Their role will be “to carry out one-way missions against designated objectives, using a remotely operated aerial vehicle with a killing/impact radius of 10 metres”. The document circulated to stakeholders on Monday directed them to submit information by November 25.
CoBRA Expansion Beyond Anti-Naxal Operations
{{/usCountry}}CoBRA Expansion Beyond Anti-Naxal Operations
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Centre has approved one more battalion of its guerrilla warfare force, CoBRA, for Manipur, and may deploy the force in Jammu and Kashmir in the future, people aware of the matter said. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited one of CoBRA’s key operational bases in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, to celebrate Diwali with commandos and other security personnel who fought Maoists.
Raised in 2008, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) was deployed exclusively in anti-Naxal operations until May 2026, when, after India was declared Naxal-free, two battalions were deployed in Manipur.
People aware of the matter said sending more CoBRA battalions to Manipur and elsewhere is possible because the two battalions deployed there in May 2026 have delivered positive results. The deployment of the special force outside the Naxal theatre is also feasible because specialised commandos are no longer needed in former Naxal areas such as Bastar and parts of Bihar and Jharkhand. The Bastar camp, where Modi celebrated Diwali , on Sunday, served as CoBRA’s operational launch pad for anti-Naxal operations deeper inside Bastar in recent years.
Union home minister Amit Shah declared India Naxal-free on March 31, 2026, after all top Maoist leaders surrendered, were arrested or were killed in encounters.
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CoBRA Operations in Manipur
“CoBRA teams have been successfully reoriented in Manipur. When the militant camp at Sinai was to be taken over last month, CoBRA was the obvious choice of force. CoBRA has been part of all major arms seizures in Manipur since May, as well as the arrest of insurgents in recent killings. Since May 2026, they have been involved in all counter-insurgency operations in Manipur. The state requested two more battalions of the insurgency force. One battalion, of around 1,000 personnel, should come soon. In the past six months, the Manipur unified command sent CoBRA commandos to every place where the conflict has escalated, and they delivered good results,” an official aware of the matter said.
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The official added that regular Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will remain posted in former Left Wing Extremism (LWE) areas as the specialised unit moves to the two theatres—Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.
“The deployment of a third CoBRA battalion in Manipur will happen very soon, while in Jammu and Kashmir, it may happen in the coming years,” the official added.