Pune — August 9, 2025 — Terming Operation Sindoor as a “watershed moment” for India’s defence industry, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat announced that the mission was a live testament to the nation’s self-reliance, technological capability, and strategic independence.
Speaking at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology’s 14th convocation, Kamat asserted that the operation highlighted “the entire gamut of India’s indigenous defence capabilities in a live combat situation” from missile systems and UAVs to AI-driven battlefield management.
Indigenous Systems in Action
- According to Kamat, Operation Sindoor entailed a precisely choreographed deployment of indigenously developed systems, which included:
- BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles main strike weapon, able to target targets at almost Mach 3 with precision accuracy.
- Akash surface-to-air missiles not just neutralized air threats but were upgraded to surface attacks.
- Akashteer AI-based control system melded real-time air defence and command capabilities.
- AWACS platforms gave early warning and battle space awareness.
- Anti-drone systems defended high-value assets from UAV intrusions.
- Secure communications, cutting-edge sensors, and AI-based decision-support systems enabled network-centric warfare capability.
- “These platforms were not lab experiments. They were battle-tested and tested in the most challenging conditions,” Kamat said.
Boost to Defence Exports
Kamat underlined that the credibility acquired due to military employment would be a game-changer for India’s defence exports, projecting a surge from ₹23,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore in the next three years.
Global purchasers are looking for systems that have experienced genuine combat,” he said, and included that the flight test of BrahMos, Akash, and Akashteer during Sindoor had already attracted attention from several countries.
Voices From the Defence Community
V.K. Saraswat, a former head of DRDO and member of NITI Aayog, said Sindoor gave “a clear and bold signal” of India’s homegrown strength. “Nearly every large system deployed was conceptualized, designed and manufactured in India. This is the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat unfolding,” Saraswat said.
(The Print)
Chandipur Tests Prove Precision
A DRDO official reported that multiple missiles deployed in Sindoor were tested at Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur before the operation. BrahMos registered sub-meter accuracy, while Akash missiles were successfully retrofitted for ground-strike missions a rarity attempted in actual combat.
The Road Ahead
Kamat emphasized that the DRDO’s work does not end with Operation Sindoor. The next step will be ramping up production, incorporating new AI and unmanned systems, and working on hypersonic missiles.
“Our aspiration is straightforward,” he stated. “When the country beckons, we will see to it that each piece of machinery from rifles to rockets carries the stamp of Indian ingenuity.”