India has successfully tested its 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system — purpose-built to destroy drones, missiles, and aircraft — for the first time.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Laser-DEW Mark-II(A) tracked and destroyed a moving drone target with a laser beam during a demonstration in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
It was tested for a 3.5-kilometer (2-mile) range under extreme conditions, and user trials will take place within the next year and a half, DRDO Director General of Electronics & Communication System Dr. BK Das shared with Times of India.
After the test, DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V Kamat noted that the laser weapon was “one of the components of Star Wars technologies” that the country is developing, referring to high-energy systems like high-energy microwaves and electromagnetic pulse weapons.
Moreover, the chairman stated in an interview with Indian news agency ANI that the US, Russia, and China have demonstrated a similar capability while “Israel is working on similar capabilities,” making India the “fourth or fifth country in the world to demonstrate this system.”
CHESS DRDO conducted a successful field demonstration of the Land version of Vehicle mounted Laser Directed Weapon(DEW) MK-II(A) at Kurnool today. It defeated the fixed wing UAV and Swarm Drones successfully causing structural damage and disable the surveillance sensors. With… pic.twitter.com/U1jaIurZco
— DRDO (@DRDO_India) April 13, 2025
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The 30-kilowatt vehicle-mounted laser weapon reportedly integrates electronic warfare capabilities and includes a 360-degree electro-optical/infrared sensor, according to India Times.
In addition to the land-based variant used in the demonstration, the DRDO is exploring ways to miniaturize the system to be installed on airborne platforms and ships.
The trial was held after the Indian Army inducted the Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System, which includes a 2-kilowatt laser beam with an 800- to 1,000-meter (2,624 to 3,280 feet) range, in March 2024.
Furthermore, India is also working on a 300-kilowatt version with a maximum range of 20 kilometers (12 miles).
Laser Counter-Drone Systems
Directed energy weapons, particularly laser-based systems, equip militaries with cost-efficient counter-drone capabilities while reducing the risk of collateral damage.
Their production comes amid the growing prominence of drone warfare, particularly in the Russia-Ukraine war, where Kyiv has reportedly deployed its Tryzub laser weapon.
The US Navy has demonstrated the 60-kilowatt HELIOS system, which has a range of up to 5 miles (8 kilometers). Developed by Lockheed Martin, it can be scaled to double its destructive power.
Meanwhile, the UK is working on its DragonFire laser weapon intended for deployment on four warships by 2027.
