Defence Tech Game-Changers: India’s Small Private Players Pack a Mighty Tech Punch

India's defence industry is undergoing a seismic change as small private players quickly emerge from bit parts to drivers of innovation. Public sector titans used to dominate the space, but now the scene is dominated by nimble startups and mid-sized firms with expertise in drones, artificial intelligence, cyber security, and futuristic weapon systems. Firms like ideaForge, Alpha Design Technologies, Paras Defence & Space Technologies, and IG Drones are developing indigenous drones, electronic warfare systems, and precision optics, which have already been inducted by the military.

 

The government's push for self-reliance—under the schemes of Make in India, the iDEX program, and defence industrial corridors—has allowed these companies to co-develop next-generation platforms with DRDO and foreign partners. Incidentally, private industry is now building satellites for strategic military use, a first for India's space-based defense project.

 

Streamlined defence purchases, record defence budgets, and R&D emphasis have led to private investment, with over 150 projects in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu's defence corridors alone. As India plans $5 billion in defence exports by 2025, small private players are not only closing the gap—they're driving the industry's revolution and foreign ambitions.

 

Source: Economic Times, Business Standard, Fortune India