Taking important steps to support the domestic defence industry with the Made in India Program, India will develop unmanned aerial vehicles.

An Indian-based company and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratories signed an agreement to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The U.S. Air Force, Indian Air Force, DRDO, and an Indian company are aimed at developing a platform for armed reconnaissance and surveillance. India requested MQ-9 Reaper but the USA did not approve the sale. Washington later proposed 30 Sea Guardian UAVs at a cost of $ 4 billion, but the offer did not attract New Delhi's attention because to the platforms are not able to use weapons. The fact that the USA did not approve the sale of MQ-9 acquisition due to possible technology leak of platforms to Russia.

Currently, India working on a MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) class UAV named Rustom. However, the platform's inability to use weapons pushes New Delhi to develop a new UCAV.