New Delhi: The Indian Coast Guard MALE drones procurement has officially moved forward as the Coast Guard seeks Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft for its expanding maritime missions. The Indian Coast Guard published a Request for Information (RFI) for the programme on July 15, 2026, according to its official website. The move could significantly improve long-range surveillance and search-and-rescue operations over India’s vast maritime areas.
Details of Indian Coast Guard MALE Drones Procurement
The lists an RFI titled “Request for Information for Procurement of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) for Indian Coast Guard.”
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The document was published on July 15, confirming that the Coast Guard has formally started seeking information from the industry for MALE-class unmanned aircraft.
Reports based on the procurement development say the requirement is for 10 MALE drones, with the overall programme estimated to be worth around ₹2,000 crore. The reported deadline for industry responses is October 7, 2026.
What Are MALE Drones
MALE stands for Medium Altitude Long Endurance. These are large unmanned aircraft designed to remain airborne for long periods while carrying surveillance equipment.
Unlike small tactical drones, MALE drones can cover much larger areas. Depending on the selected platform and configuration, they can carry radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors and use long-range communication links.
This makes such aircraft particularly useful for maritime surveillance, where a single mission may require monitoring thousands of square kilometres of sea.
Why Does the Indian Coast Guard Need MALE Drones
The Indian Coast Guard has responsibility for several major maritime security and safety tasks.
Its official website lists maritime surveillance, coastal security, search and rescue, humanitarian operations and marine-environment responsibilities among its roles.
Long-endurance unmanned aircraft could allow the Coast Guard to watch distant maritime areas for much longer without keeping an aircrew continuously in the aircraft.
This can be useful for tracking suspicious vessels, supporting rescue missions, monitoring fishing activity and improving awareness of events far from India’s coastline.
Indian Coast Guard MALE Drones Procurement: Major Boost for Search-and-Rescue Operations
Search and rescue is expected to be one of the important uses of the proposed drones.
When a vessel or person is reported missing at sea, quickly locating them can be difficult because the search area can be enormous. A long-endurance drone equipped with suitable sensors could search large areas and transmit information back to Coast Guard command centres. The Coast Guard could then direct ships, helicopters or aircraft towards the location identified by the unmanned platform.
Long-Range Surveillance Could Be a Key Advantage
Another important requirement is surveillance beyond the normal visual range. MALE drones equipped with suitable long-range communication systems can remain connected to operators even when flying far from their base.
This would help the Coast Guard maintain persistent surveillance over important shipping routes, coastal areas and other zones of maritime interest.
Reports say the proposed aircraft are expected to strengthen surveillance particularly across India’s extensive maritime boundaries and sensitive sectors.
How Could the Indian Coast Guard MALE Drones Procurement Help India’s Maritime Security
India has a coastline stretching thousands of kilometres and major sea routes pass through the wider Indian Ocean Region. The Coast Guard must deal with challenges ranging from maritime emergencies to illegal activities at sea.
Long-endurance drones could provide an additional layer of surveillance by repeatedly scanning large areas and passing information to authorities on the ground. They could also work alongside the Coast Guard’s existing aircraft and ships rather than replacing them.
Indian Coast Guard MALE Drones Procurement: Part of India’s Wider Push Towards Unmanned Aircraft
The Coast Guard procurement comes as India is expanding the use and domestic development of unmanned aircraft for defence and security.
A separate large programme is underway for 87 MALE drones for the Indian armed forces, with Indian defence companies competing for the requirement.
The Coast Guard requirement, however, is separate and reflects its specialised maritime security and search-and-rescue needs.
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