Artillery Recast: How the Indian Army Is Redefining Strike Warfare With Shaktibaan Regiments
For decades, artillery has been the backbone of India’s battlefield dominance. From the thunderous barrages of conventional guns to the precision fire of modern howitzers, artillery has shaped India’s deterrence posture across borders. But warfare itself is changing — and with it, the role of artillery is undergoing a fundamental transformation.
The Indian Army’s decision to recast its artillery formations by integrating loitering ammunition, swarm drones and AI-enabled targeting marks one of the most significant doctrinal shifts since the introduction of modern artillery regiments. The emergence of Shaktibaan regiments signals not an incremental upgrade, but a complete rethink of how firepower is generated, guided and delivered on tomorrow’s battlefield.
India’s Army is recasting its artillery doctrine with loitering ammunition, swarm drones and precision warfare. Here’s why Shaktibaan marks a structural shift in modern combat.
About the Transformation
The recast artillery concept reflects a move away from artillery as a purely gun-centric arm toward a networked strike ecosystem. Instead of relying solely on long-range guns firing massed shells, the new doctrine blends conventional firepower with precision-guided loitering munitions, autonomous drones and real-time battlefield intelligence.
This transformation is driven by the realities of modern conflict — shorter decision cycles, dispersed targets, electronic warfare, and the need for precision over volume. The Shaktibaan regiments represent the first visible structural manifestation of this shift.
What Is a Shaktibaan Regiment?
Shaktibaan regiments are designed as hybrid strike formations. Unlike traditional artillery units centred around gun batteries, these regiments integrate loitering ammunition systems capable of hovering over target zones before striking with precision.
The regiment structure supports both medium-range and long-range loitering munitions, enabling persistent surveillance and on-demand strike capability. This means targets can be identified, tracked and neutralised without the delays associated with conventional firing solutions.
From Mass Firepower to Precision Warfare
Traditional artillery doctrine relied on mass — overwhelming the enemy with volume and sustained fire. While effective, such an approach is increasingly constrained by logistics, collateral damage considerations and counter-battery threats.
The new architecture emphasises precision. Loitering ammunition allows commanders to strike high-value targets such as command posts, radar systems and armoured concentrations with surgical accuracy. This reduces ammunition expenditure while increasing battlefield impact.
Different Architecture, Different Thinking
The Shaktibaan regiment operates on a fundamentally different architecture from legacy artillery units. Guns are no longer the sole focal point. Instead, sensors, drones, AI-enabled data fusion and shooters operate as an integrated loop.
Target acquisition is continuous rather than episodic. Once a target is detected, decision-making timelines compress dramatically. Engagements can occur within minutes, not hours, giving the Army a decisive edge in fluid combat environments.
Role of Swarm Drones and AI
Swarm drones play a critical role in this transformation. Operating in coordinated formations, they extend surveillance depth, overwhelm enemy defences and provide real-time targeting data. Artificial intelligence processes vast streams of battlefield information, prioritising targets and recommending engagement options.
This combination allows artillery to function as a responsive strike arm rather than a static fire support element. It also complicates enemy countermeasures, as threats can emerge from multiple vectors simultaneously.
Strategic Implications for India
The recasting of artillery has significant strategic implications. Along contested borders, especially in high-altitude and rugged terrain, loitering munitions offer flexibility that traditional guns cannot. They can be deployed rapidly, operate from dispersed locations and remain effective despite terrain constraints.
This capability strengthens deterrence by raising the cost of aggression for adversaries. Persistent surveillance combined with precision strike reduces the enemy’s ability to conceal or reposition assets without detection.
The transformation also aligns with India’s broader push toward indigenous defence technology. Many of the loitering systems and drone platforms are being developed domestically, reducing dependence on imports while fostering a local defence ecosystem.
In parallel, doctrinal evolution mirrors lessons from recent global conflicts where loitering ammunition and drones have altered battlefield dynamics. The Indian Army is not merely adopting technology, but embedding it into organisational structures and training philosophies.
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Operational Advantages Over Legacy Systems
Shaktibaan regiments reduce exposure to counter-battery fire by limiting the need for repeated gun salvos from fixed positions. Loitering munitions can be launched from concealed locations and do not reveal firing positions as easily as traditional artillery.
They also enable graduated response options. Instead of escalating directly to heavy bombardment, commanders can choose proportional strikes, reducing escalation risks while maintaining tactical dominance.
Challenges and Execution Risks
Despite the promise, challenges remain. Integrating new technology requires extensive training, doctrinal clarity and robust command-and-control systems. Electronic warfare threats and cyber vulnerabilities must also be addressed to ensure system resilience.
Sustaining these systems at scale will demand reliable logistics, secure data links and continuous upgrades — areas that require institutional discipline and long-term investment.
Yet, the direction is unmistakable. Artillery is no longer just about range and firepower. It is about intelligence, speed, adaptability and precision. Shaktibaan regiments embody this new philosophy.
Investor Takeaway – Gulshan Khera, CFP®:
India’s defence modernisation reflects structural intent rather than episodic procurement. The shift toward precision and autonomy signals long-term policy continuity, creating sustained opportunities across defence manufacturing, electronics, and advanced systems integration.
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