WEBDESK: Military training in Indian universities is on the rise through the so called drone boot camps which are organised by the Indian Army and this has raised a major concern. Critics say this is part of a larger plan to push military interests sfter Operation Sindoor failure.
Drone Push Follows “Operation Sindoor”
Analysts link the launch of these drone camps to Operation Sindoor, a cross border Indian military action in Pakistan in May 2025. While the Indian government has called the operation a major success, claiming to have killed over 100 “terrorists,” observers argue the claim is unfounded and that many of those killed were civilians.
India seems to have turned its attention to quicker low-cost technology like drones after this operation which implies that India is not confident in the traditional form of military on its own. Analysts believe that this technological push is as a direct reaction to the losses India has experienced in the revenge of Pakistan
Modi’s India: Universities or Surveillance Training Grounds?
Defence observers warn that Indian universities are being used to train students in surveillance, drone warfare, and hybrid combat tactics, all under the supervision of the Indian military. They see this as a dangerous blending of education and militarism, designed to promote the Hindutva ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ruling party’s ideological parent.
“Universities were once centres of research and learning,” one expert said. “Now they are producing engineers and scientists who are arming a political ideology, not serving public welfare.”
On the other hand, Indian officials claim this is part of necessary defence reforms. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval argue that Operation Sindoor highlighted the growing role of technology in warfare, and India must now prepare for future hybrid wars.
Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, claimed the Indian Army successfully countered nearly all of Pakistan’s drone activity during the operation—some drones were shot down, others captured.
The Indian Parliament is set to hold a debate on Operation Sindoor and India’s new defence policies in its upcoming Monsoon Session. Opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, have criticised the military operation as a “failure,” though most of the opposition is treading carefully due to the national security angle.
According to Azaad Research, the drone boot camps reflect a desperate military pivot, turning academic spaces into RSS-aligned defence labs under the pretext of preparing for modern terrorism.
Read more: Parliament set to question BJP on operation Sindhoor after national humiliation
