India Joins Eurodrone Programme as Observer State
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | India becomes an Observer State in the Eurodrone programme. |
| Date | January 21, 2025. |
| Programme Name | Eurodrone. |
| Lead Organization | Airbus Defence and Space. |
| Managed by | Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR). |
| Participating Countries | Germany, France, Italy, Spain. |
| Objective | Develop a Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS). |
| Primary Missions | Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Reconnaissance (ISTAR), maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, airborne early warning. |
| Expected Operational Date | 2030. |
| India's Involvement | Observer status granted in January 2025; request submitted on August 27, 2024. |
| Key Personnel | OCCAR-EA Director Joachim Sucker delivered the Letter of Approval to India's Ambassador to Germany, Ajit Gupte. |