A showcase of indigenous innovation
- Operation Sindoor, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, involved precision strikes using only domestically produced weapons—Akash missiles, Surya VHF radar, BrahMos, Akashteer, D4 anti‑drone systems, loitering munitions like Nagastra and SkyStriker—without crossing the Line of Control
Private and MSME sector at the forefront
- Private defence startups and MSMEs supplied critical systems like homegrown drones, AI surveillance tools, anti‑drone jammers, and radars
- Firms such as Zen Technologies and SDAL demonstrated combat‑grade capabilities like the Bhargavastra anti‑drone rocket system
Boost to defence‑tech investment
- iDEX has supported over 1,300 defence startups since 2018, offering grants and test‑beds—41 new challenges were announced in DISC‑12
- Venture capital interest surged, especially in AI‑powered surveillance, autonomous drones, quantum cybersecurity, and deeptech—a doubling of deeptech funding in early 2025
Government strategies under Make in India
- Major policy initiatives—Make in India, iDEX, PLI for drones, MAKE procurement, SRIJAN self‑reliance—facilitated production of systems like Akash‑NG, D4, Nagastra and SkyStriker
- Budget increases and procurement shifts favoured domestic suppliers, with about ₹50,000 crore added and deals worth ₹1.45 lakh crore for indigenously built systems
Technology integration as a benchmark
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Operation Sindoor a “case study for the world”, highlighting seamless force integration and tech maturity
- Critical infrastructure like power plants were shielded from nearly 200,000 cyberattacks during the operation
Emerging startup‑driven future
- Observers expect defence unicorns within 3‑5 years as startups innovate in UAV swarms (e.g. Newspace R&T), AI‑based threat detection (e.g. BonV Aero, Zebu), and cybersecurity (Sequretek, Lucideus)
- India’s defence export market is expanding: ₹23,600 crore in FY 2024‑25, up 12% year‑on‑year, aided by startup competencies
A wake‑up call for MSMEs
- MSMEs now have strategic opportunities through GeM, SRIJAN, and Defence Offsets Policy; while skilling initiatives (SAMARTH Udyog, Cyber Shikshaa) can prepare talent for defence‑tech ecosystems
