14-05-2025
How Operation Sindoor Validates Growth Of India's Drone, Defence Manufacturing Sectors
Last Updated:
From air defence systems to drones, from counter-UAS capabilities to net-centric warfare platforms, indigenous technology has delivered when it mattered most
Operation Sindoor is not just a story of tactical success but also a validation of India's defence indigenisation policies, government sources say.
From air defence systems to drones, from counter-UAS capabilities to net-centric warfare platforms, indigenous technology has delivered when it mattered most.
Development of drones
The Drone Federation India (DFI) is a premier industry body representing over 550 drone companies and 5,500 drone pilots. DFI's vision is to make India a global drone hub by 2030, and it promotes the design, development, manufacturing, adoption, and export of Indian drone and counter-drone technology worldwide. DFI enables ease of doing business, promotes the adoption of drone technology, and hosts several programmes like Bharat Drone Mahotsav.
Some companies involved in the drone space are:
Alpha Design Technologies (Bengaluru) partnered with Israel's Elbit Systems to build SkyStriker.
Tata Advanced Systems offers a full range of integrated solutions across defence & security and has served as a trusted partner to India's armed forces for over six decades.
Paras Defence & Space Technologies operates within the defence and space segments, distinguished by Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) capabilities.
IG Drones is a drone technology company for manufacturing and R&D of drones, specialised in defence and other industry applications, along with a provider of drone-related services like drone surveying, mapping, and inspection by industry experts. The company has partnered with the Indian Army, the Government of India, and multiple state governments, among others.
The integration of drone warfare into India's military doctrine owes its success to years of domestic R&D and policy reform. Since 2021, the ban on imported drones and the launch of the PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme have catalysed rapid innovation.
The scheme of production-linked incentive for drones and drone components of the ministry of civil aviation was notified on September 30, 2021, with a total incentive of Rs 120 crore spread over three financial years, FY 2021-22 to FY 2023-24. The future lies in autonomous drones with AI-driven decision-making, and India is already laying the groundwork.
Defence manufacturing and exports
Defence exports crossed the record figure of about Rs 24,000 crore in financial year 2024-25. The aim is to increase the figure to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029 and make India a developed nation and the world's largest defence exporter by 2047.
India has emerged as a major defence manufacturing hub, driven by the 'Make in India" initiative and a strong push for self-reliance. In FY 2023–24, indigenous defence production reached a record Rs 1.27 lakh crore, while exports soared to Rs 23,622 crore in FY 2024–25, a 34-fold increase from 2013–14. Strategic reforms, private sector involvement, and robust R&D have led to the development of advanced military platforms like the Dhanush Artillery Gun System, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun, Light Specialist Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Akash Missile System, Weapon Locating Radar, 3D Tactical Control Radar, and Software Defined Radio (SDR), as well as naval assets like destroyers, indigenous aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, corvettes, fast patrol vessels, fast attack craft, and offshore patrol vessels.
The government has backed this growth with record procurement contracts, innovations under iDEX, drives like SRIJAN, and two defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Key acquisitions such as LCH (light combat helicopters) Prachand and the ATAGS (Approval for Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System) highlight the shift towards indigenous capability. With targets of Rs 3 lakh crore in production and Rs 50,000 crore in exports by 2029, India is firmly positioning itself as a self-reliant and globally competitive defence manufacturing power.
First Published:
May 14, 2025, 19:27 IST
