ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday declared the expansion of locally produced drone capabilities a “national priority,” citing lessons from recent global and regional conflicts that have increasingly relied on unmanned aerial systems and advanced military technologies.
Drones have rapidly become one of the defining weapons of modern warfare, reshaping conflicts from Ukraine and Gaza to the Gulf and South Asia. The Russia-Ukraine war demonstrated how relatively inexpensive unmanned systems could destroy tanks, ships and critical infrastructure, while recent Iran-Israel hostilities and attacks around the Strait of Hormuz highlighted the growing use of long-range drones alongside missiles in regional conflicts.
The technology has also become increasingly important closer to home. Pakistan and India used drones extensively during their four-day military confrontation in May 2025, while Pakistani officials have also reported hostile drone incursions from Afghanistan in recent months. Militants in Pakistan’s northwest have increasingly used quadcopters and other unmanned systems in attacks on security forces and law enforcement agencies.
Against that backdrop, Pakistan’s defense production ministry invited private-sector firms to its Directorate General Research and Development Establishment in Rawalpindi to strengthen coordination between the public and private sectors in drone warfare and surveillance technologies.
“The participants observed that recent global conflicts have clearly demonstrated the decisive role of drones in modern warfare, intelligence gathering, border monitoring, and precision operations,” Pakistan’s information ministry said in a statement.
“The session concluded with a shared commitment to enhance cooperation between state institutions and private technology firms to accelerate the development of locally produced unmanned aerial capabilities in line with emerging security requirements as it has become a national priority for Pakistan.”
Pakistani companies involved in drone manufacturing and development presented operational challenges, concerns and recommendations during the session, according to the statement.
Officials assured participants their proposals would be considered in future policymaking aimed at building what the government described as a sustainable domestic drone ecosystem, the statement said.
The defense production ministry said it remained committed to providing “regulatory procedures, testing infrastructure, procurement mechanisms, and research support” to help accelerate the development of local drone technologies.
Analysts say the growing reliance on drones is transforming military strategy worldwide by enabling relatively smaller or lower-cost forces to conduct surveillance, precision strikes and battlefield operations previously dominated by conventional air power.
At the same time, the rapid spread of commercial and military drone technologies has raised concerns over airspace security, civilian casualties and the growing ability of militant groups and non-state actors to adapt inexpensive unmanned systems for attacks and reconnaissance.
