India pulls plug on Nishant UAV
In a blow to Indian efforts to field indigenously developed tactical UAVs, the Indian Army is abandoning the two-decade-old Nishant.
Phase 1 of the Nishant programme saw four aircraft delivered to the army in 2011 after long delays, but three of these have since been lost in crashes. The most recent accident occurred in Rajasthan on 4 November.
The Indian Army has cancelled phase 2, which would have seen a further eight UAVs and two ground control stations inducted. The programme was initiated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), back in 1995.
Something of a blame game
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