Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the drone technology startup in India full government backing while deploying 100 drones across the country to spray pesticides and other farm commodities under the “Drone Kisan Yatra” initiative. He portrayed confidence that India’s growing capability in the drone industry will usher in a new era of global leadership.
He states that a new culture of drone startups is growing in India, with enormous growth potential. Their numbers would soon be in the thousands, up from more than 100 today, resulting in tremendous job opportunities, the Prime Minister said in a virtual address. In terms of policy changes, Modi stated that his government would assure that there are no roadblocks to the sector’s progress and that it has already adopted reforms and policy measures to support its development.
PM Modi said, “I am confident that this beginning will not only prove to be a milestone in the development of the drone sector but also will also open the sky to unlimited possibilities.” He further added, “I have been told that Garuda Aerospace has set a target of manufacturing 1 lakh Made-in-India drones in the next 2 years. This will generate fresh employment and new opportunities for the youth.”
This is a new chapter in the direction of modern agricultural facilities of the 21st century. I am confident that this beginning will not only prove to be a milestone in development of the drone sector but also will also open the sky to unlimited possibilities: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/xC8mrJwRtr
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022
He also highlighted ‘Kisan Drones’ as the start of a new revolution in the country, saying farmers would deploy high-capacity drones in the future to deliver their produce including vegetables, fruits, and flowers to markets in a short period of time, maximizing their income.
The central government has undertaken major regulatory changes in recent weeks to support the indigenous drone industry, including a restriction on the import of drones with immediate effect. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the restriction prevents drone imports for research and development, defense, and security applications.
The MoCA believes that the drone and drone component manufacturing sectors will attract around Rs 5,000 crore in investment over the next three years. The annual sales turnover of the drone manufacturing company may climb from Rs 60 crore in FY 2020-21 to over Rs 900 crore in FY 2023-24. Furthermore, the central government has revised the Drones Rules, 2021. The registration window for voluntary disclosure of unmanned aircraft in India has been extended until March 1, 2022, according to the revised guidelines.
In reference to the Union Budget 2022, the Prime Minister remarked that his government has always prioritized technology and innovation and has developed policies accordingly. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated in her Budget speech earlier this month that the Government would heavily encourage the use of artificial intelligence as well as drone technology to reshape and streamline operations in industries such as agriculture, banking, education, transportation, and infrastructure.
