As tensions between India and Pakistan reignite along the Line of Control (LoC), a new set of defence actors has taken flight. What the previous generations knew as the defence industry—defined by khaki uniforms, government public sector undertakings (PSUs), and bureaucratic tenders—is no longer the whole story.
Today, India’s defence preparedness is shaped as much by engineers in Bengaluru or Hyderabad as by soldiers at the LoC. Private drone startups such as ideaForge, Garuda Aerospace, Asteria Aerospace, IG Drones, as well as companies like Scandron, are now integral to India’s frontline strategy. These are building and deploying unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that are not only confined to agriculture, solar, surveying, or disaster relief, but also for defence uses.
Today, these firms are rapidly scaling operations and increasing production to deliver tactical and surveillance drones, responding to heightened demand from defence forces seeking advanced aerial capabilities. “We are the tool that collects data right now,” said Vishal Saxena, vice president at ideaForge, in an interview with AIM. “We are behind the scenes, not visual. That’s our job. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems are typically that.”
Private Drones, Public Battles
Focused initially on civilian applications such as agriculture and infrastructure monitoring, these drone companies are now adapting their technologies for military use. This pivot reflects a broader trend where private tech firms are becoming integral to national security strategies, supplying equipment that was once exclusively the domain of state-run defence manufacturers.
Garuda Aerospace, once best known for its agricultural drones, has launched a line of dual-use platforms tailored for both civilian and paramilitary use. The company has openly discussed plans to ramp up production of surveillance drones capable of day-night operation in high-altitude zones. Founder Agnishwar Jayaprakash has spoken about India’s growing need for “tactical autonomy”, the strategic role that Indian startups can play, and the crucial role Garuda drones played in ‘Operation Sindoor’.
“Two thousand drones equipped with payload dropping mechanisms are ready to be delivered, and 2,000 more are in production at the Garuda manufacturing facility,” he told AIM.
Other startups like NewSpace Research and Technologies and Asteria Aerospace are developing more advanced systems, including swarming drones and autonomous AI-powered surveillance platforms. While still in development or early deployment, these innovations represent the future of battlefield tech—decentralised, fast, and difficult to detect or counter using traditional air defence methods.
A Surge in Defence Demand
In light of recent operations like India’s Operation Sindoor, the defence ministry has issued urgent requirements for a wide range of drone capabilities, from high-altitude ISR units to loitering munitions. For companies like Scandron, the ask is both specific and immediate.
“The Army has come up with a basic list of requirements. Some of those are readily met, some require fast-track development,” Arjun Naik, CEO of Scandron, told AIM. “Our drones fit those bills and have been modified to meet the terrain-specific requirements.”
Scandron, known for its logistics and support unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is now scaling production from 300 to 400 units a month to between 800 and 2,000, depending on requirements by the defence. “We have expanded infrastructure and human resource capability,” Naik added.
ideaForge is experiencing a similar spike due to its capability, but also acknowledges the capacity gap. “While the user may want 10,000 drones tomorrow, can I manufacture that? The capability exists. The capacity, however, is a question mark,” Saxena said.
Indigenous Roots
Firms are investing heavily in research and development while chasing certification from the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), which governs drone systems intended for defence use. IG Drones has emerged as a vital player with its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and first-person view FPV drone systems. These are engineered for high-endurance surveillance and real-time tactical reconnaissance in rugged terrains.
“Our drones are proudly ‘Made in India’ and contain no Chinese components,” Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, founder and CEO of IG Drones, told AIM. “With over 75% indigenous capability, we are redefining sovereign tech at the border.”
IG Drones has also developed India’s first indigenous military drone simulator, offering low-risk, high-fidelity training, a key force multiplier as defence forces prepare to induct large fleets. Saxena also expressed that drones can be made in India. At the least, ideaForge is consciously making sure not to touch any components from “geographies of concern”.
“Today, apart from those very critical systems which are not available in India, 97% of the components could come from India.” He added that they may not be the world’s best components, or only 60–70% of them may be. “There would still be about 20–30% of components that need more deliberation.”
Know Your #Military Drones
From real-time #reconnaissance to precision strikes, drones are reshaping modern warfare. For instance, our surveillance drones—such as the #NETRA and #SWITCH UAVs—are deployed globally for ISR, search & rescue, counterinsurgency, & border surveillance pic.twitter.com/4bLqwFoeOp— ideaForge Technology Limited (@ideaforge_tech) May 12, 2025
For indigenous development, even Mughilan Thiru Ramasamy, co-founder and CEO at Skylark Drones, said, “We are working to figure out how our software capabilities, especially around surveillance, will be useful for the Indian defence.”
The Quiet Arms Race
According to reports, India employed Israeli Harop drones for precision strikes on Pakistani air defences, to which Pakistan claimed to have downed multiple units.
This rapid militarisation isn’t just about meeting immediate defence needs. It’s triggering a larger shift in how India views innovation, sovereignty, and supply chains.
While the government’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ programmes have given startups a platform, it’s the private sector’s R&D push that’s now taking centre stage.
“There is a sweet spot emerging, tactical drones that do 50 to 100 km with distributed capability,” Saxena explained. “Instead of one MQ-9 Reaper doing 10 tasks, what if you had 100 drones doing one each? The mindset is shifting toward distributed platforms.”
Naik agreed to this, acknowledging that the R&D cost is huge. However, he pointed out that this is precisely the path taken by Israelis and Americans, which he hopes to follow. “We don’t quite have that level of technological advancement yet, but our drones cost a fraction of what the Israeli drones cost.”
Who Holds the Trigger?
This new defence-industrial ecosystem also introduces murky questions around accountability. While none of the featured companies currently supply armed drones, their technologies undeniably enable more precise and potentially lethal targeting.
“Our drones are not armed,” Saxena said. “Luckily, that dilemma isn’t there. But if we were making that tech, the question would be: should there even be a war? That’s a larger question than the tech itself.”
As Naik succinctly put it, “We’re building tools for security, not aggression. But once you sell to the military, you don’t control the mission.”
The New Defence Line
Despite the urgency, many companies warn that the lack of long-term procurement clarity hampers planning. They argue that the Indian drone sector needs both sustained demand and a robust domestic supply chain to truly scale.
“Drone startups are not just vendors, they are catalysts of national transformation,” Sanghapriya further said.
Meanwhile, Naik remarked, “India has about 900 drone companies, but fewer than 10 are serious players. The rest are traders. Now the real manufacturers will come to the forefront.”With ethical tightropes to walk, regulatory frameworks to solidify, and enemy radars to dodge, India’s drone startups are flying in uncharted airspace. And for now, they’re holding formation.
