"Every brick should be developed in India": IAF Chief pushes for true Atmanirbhar drone ecosystem
New Delhi, July 30
The relentless hum of tomorrow's battlefield is already being written in India's design labs and startup hubs, but according to the nation's top air commander, the path to true self-reliance demands an urgent shift in gear.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Bharat Drone & Robotics Manthan 3.0 conference, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh laid out a bold roadmap for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to partner closely with domestic industry and innovators.
With modern warfare increasingly shaped by cost-effective unmanned systems, the Air Chief emphasised that India's defence sector must outpace the rapid lifecycle of emerging technologies, where hesitation carries a high operational cost.
Air Chief Marshal Singh stressed that the responsibility of outlining precise operational requirements lies squarely with the user, highlighting the newly established Directorate of Aerospace Design (DAD) as a dedicated bridge to engage directly with startups and innovators.
"The problem statement has to originate from us. We have the Directorate of Aerospace Design... to interact with the industry, startups and anybody who wants to know what the requirement is, what kind of drones, equipment or sensors we are looking for," he said.
In a move to bypass traditional, sluggish evaluation procedures, the IAF announced Dronathon 2026 for September, inviting companies to showcase live product demonstrations rather than relying on paper presentations or recorded videos.
Pointing out vulnerabilities tied to foreign supply chains, the Air Chief delivered a definitive call for domestic mastery. "Every brick should be developed in India. Then only we can say we are fully Atmanirbhar," said Air Chief Marshal Singh.
Cautioning against bureaucratic delays, he warned that "technology delayed is technology denied," urging a whole-of-nation approach uniting academia, regulators, investors, and manufacturers to scale solutions from the lab to the frontline.
While noting that drones are designed to complement rather than replace manned platforms, the IAF's proactive outreach signals a transformative shift, turning operational challenges into collaborative opportunities for India's burgeoning aerospace entrepreneurs.
"Technology delayed is technology denied. If we keep doing what we are doing, we will get the same results that we have been getting. If we want different results... let us do something different," said the IAF Chief.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is encouraging, but I hope the bureaucracy doesn't kill the momentum. We've seen many grand announcements before—like when DRDO promised indigenous engines and we're still waiting. The Directorate of Aerospace Design is a good step, but they need to actually listen to startups, not just create another layer of red tape. Let's see how many of these 'problem statements' turn into real contracts.
'Technology delayed is technology denied'—this should be on a banner in every defence office! The Ukraine war has shown us how drones are changing warfare. If India can master this, we won't just be self-reliant, we could become an exporter. But we need speed. No more 10-year procurement cycles for tech that becomes obsolete in 2 years.
As someone who worked in defence logistics, this is music to my ears. The dependency on foreign supply chains is a huge vulnerability. Just imagine if there's a conflict and China blocks components—we'd be stuck. The IAF Chief is thinking ahead. The whole 'brick in India' concept should extend to chips, sensors, and software too. Let's hope the private sector steps up.
Love the proactive approach! The Dronathon 2026 is a brilliant idea—live demos instead of just paper presentations. That's how you separate real capability from PowerPoint promises. But I hope they also invest in training our soldiers to use these drones effectively. Hardware is only half the battle; the human element matters too. Let's go, India! 🇮🇳
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