The Intelligence from The Economist Blood from a drone: Iran’s deadly arsenal
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Mar 12, 2026 Gavin Jackson, South Asia business and economics correspondent, outlines India’s data-centre boom and its economic and environmental stakes. He maps where hyperscalers are building, why foreign firms are investing, and the jobs versus energy and water trade-offs. The conversation highlights locations, policy drivers, and sustainability tensions in fast-growing digital infrastructure.
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Shahed Drones Are Cheap, Flexible Weapons
- Iran uses Shahed drones as a cheap, flexible complement to ballistic missiles in recent strikes across the region.
- Shaheds cost roughly $55,000 each, fly low over water, can be truck-launched, and blur lines between drones and cruise missiles.
High-End Interceptors Are Economically Unsuitable
- High-end interceptors can shoot down Shaheds but at unsustainable cost ratios.
- Using Patriots or THAAD to kill a $55,000 drone wastes interceptors that cost vastly more per shot.
Ukraine Is Exporting Drone-Defence Expertise
- Ukraine's experience is now being transferred to the Gulf as advisory teams and tactics flow outward.
- Zelensky is offering expertise to Gulf states and seeks investment and weapons in return, leveraging Ukraine's practical know-how.