India, Dec. 21 -- A compelling narrative in modern military discourse suggests that the era of the fighter pilot is ending, replaced by autonomous drone swarms promising risk-free, algorithm-driven warfare. While such a future may appear appealing from a technological point of view, it is strategically very shortsighted, especially for a country like India. India, which has to deal with nuclear-armed opponents, border disputes that are ongoing, and civilian populations that are complicated, giving up human judgment to autonomous systems is not a step forward, but a very risky step backwards. This paper argues that despite the spread of drones, Indian air power will largely depend on manned combat aircraft. The pilotless future is not pilo...