The Indian Navy is moving towards expanding its unmanned maritime capabilities with plans to develop a large Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) under the ASTRA programme. The Navy has approached domestic defence industry players to explore the development of the advanced autonomous platform, which is expected to undertake surveillance, reconnaissance and offensive missions at sea.
Unlike smaller unmanned vessels primarily designed for harbour monitoring and coastal security, the proposed ASTRA platform is expected to be significantly larger, with a planned length exceeding 120 feet. Its size and operational requirements indicate an effort to develop a more capable unmanned vessel that can operate in demanding maritime environments and support a wider range of naval missions.
The proposed vessel is expected to combine multiple operational capabilities, including intelligence gathering, maritime domain surveillance and reconnaissance, alongside the ability to carry weapons. By integrating these functions into a single uncrewed platform, the Indian Navy aims to explore new ways of strengthening its operational reach while reducing the exposure of naval personnel to potentially dangerous situations.
A major requirement for the ASTRA programme is the integration of advanced autonomous navigation and collision-avoidance systems. The vessel will need to identify and navigate around obstacles, commercial shipping traffic and other naval platforms while operating with limited human intervention. Such capabilities will be particularly important during extended deployments in busy maritime regions.
Communication reliability and autonomous safety mechanisms are also central to the proposed design. The vessel is expected to incorporate predefined procedures for situations in which communication with its operators is interrupted. These lost-link protocols would allow the platform to respond according to established safety instructions, helping prevent uncontrolled movements or unintended risks to other vessels.
The Navy has also emphasised the importance of safe recovery following mission completion or communication disruptions. Autonomous or semi-autonomous recovery arrangements would enable operators to regain control of the vessel and bring it back safely, making reliable recovery systems an essential part of its operational design.
The inclusion of a weapon payload requirement is another significant feature of the ASTRA initiative. It suggests that the Navy is exploring the use of large uncrewed surface platforms beyond conventional monitoring and reconnaissance roles. Depending on the final configuration, the vessel could contribute to maritime security, fleet protection and future naval strike operations.
The programme reflects a broader shift in naval warfare, with major maritime forces increasingly examining autonomous surface platforms to improve surveillance coverage, extend operational endurance and support missions that may involve higher risks for conventional crewed vessels. Such systems can complement existing warships by providing additional operational flexibility and expanding the range of tasks that naval forces can undertake.
For India, the development of ASTRA would represent another step towards incorporating advanced autonomous technologies into its maritime security architecture. Engaging domestic industry in the programme could also create opportunities for Indian defence manufacturers and technology companies to contribute to the development of next-generation unmanned naval systems.
The proposed ASTRA vessel is expected to represent a different class of capability from smaller coastal and harbour-security drones. Its substantial size, autonomous navigation requirements and potential weapon-carrying role point towards a platform designed for more demanding naval operations.
While the final technical configuration, development schedule and operational deployment details have yet to be established in the available reporting, the initiative highlights the Indian Navy’s growing interest in large autonomous surface vessels as part of its future force-modernisation plans.