New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): 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)
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