New Delhi, June 29 -- Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said the force will require continuous induction, upgrades and large-scale replenishment of drones, announcing the raising of specialised "Baaz Battalions" to strengthen intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

General Dwivedi said the new initiative will build upon existing Remotely Piloted Aircraft Flights and create a dedicated pool of trained personnel to operate and manage drone systems across the battlefield ecosystem.

"The Army will require continuous induction, upgrades and replenishment of drones on a large scale. To maintain pace with this requirement, one of the most important initiatives is raising Baaz Battalions. This will...