The Indian Army has awarded ideaForge an approximately $20 million contract for an undisclosed number of high-altitude SWITCH UAVs, to be delivered over one year. The fixed-wing VTOL system is intended for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in harsh terrain, including high-altitude areas such as Ladakh.
The SWITCH UAV is man-portable, weighs less than 7 kilograms, and offers about two hours of flight endurance with surveillance range out to 15 kilometers and operating altitudes above 4,000 meters. The contract was reportedly secured after the platform met operational requirements in real-world evaluations and outperformed competing offerings.
The deal aligns with the Indian Army’s wider push to expand indigenous unmanned systems and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. It also reflects the growing role of drones in frontier monitoring and battlefield awareness along the India-China border.