Indian Air Force procures longer-range Sureshastra Mk1 loitering munition

A Veda Aeronautics' official launches a Sureshastra Mk1 loitering munition. (Veda Aeronautics)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is procuring a longer-range version of the Sureshastra Mk1 loitering munition from Delhi-based Veda Aeronautics as part of continuing efforts to expand its inventory of indigenous strike systems.

A Veda Aeronautics spokesperson told Janes on 24 July that the company is supplying its Sureshastra Mk1 catapult-launched, jet-powered loitering munition to the IAF under an INR3 billion (USD31 million) contract awarded in early 2026.

Sureshastra Mk1 is a fixed-wing platform featuring a V-tail configuration. The spokesperson said the loitering munition is 3.5 m long with a 3 m wingspan and offers a maximum operational range of up to 300 km. It can operate in GPS-denied environments and can be deployed in swarms to engage multiple targets simultaneously.

Veda Aeronautics is also supplying Sureshastra Mk1 to the IAF under a separate INR3 billion contract awarded in 2023. The platforms delivered under that contract have a range of more than 150 km. The company said it has enhanced the system based on operational feedback and customer requirements, resulting in the longer-range variant.

In addition to strike missions, Sureshastra Mk1 can be configured for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions or employed as a decoy target, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the company has developed an enhanced variant, Sureshastra Mk2, which offers a range of more than 500 km. The company has begun flight trials of the system.

Veda Aeronautics is also developing a longer-range loitering munition with a range exceeding 1,500 km. The spokesperson said the system is designed to operate in a manner similar to Iran's Shahed-series loitering munitions.