India Aims to Build a World-Class Drone Ecosystem as Defence Reforms Accelerate Innovation

New Delhi, July 2026 : Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has said that building a globally competitive drone ecosystem has emerged as one of India’s foremost strategic priorities, with the government focusing on strengthening indigenous capabilities in unmanned systems to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare.

In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, Singh said recent defence reforms have transformed India’s military-industrial landscape by encouraging greater private sector participation, attracting start-ups, and boosting investor confidence. According to him, the government’s role is to create a strong and sustainable ecosystem that enables Indian companies to develop cutting-edge drone technologies and autonomous defence systems.

Highlighting the changing nature of warfare, Singh said recent military conflicts, including Operation Sindoor, the Russia-Ukraine war, and developments in the Middle East, have demonstrated the decisive role played by drones, precision-guided weapons, and autonomous platforms in contemporary battlefields.

He noted that the lessons emerging from these conflicts clearly indicate that future military engagements will increasingly rely on long-range precision strikes and unmanned systems operating across air, land, maritime and even underwater domains.

“The government’s responsibility is to create a robust ecosystem for unmanned systems,” Singh said, adding that India must not merely learn from global conflicts but also innovate to develop sovereign capabilities capable of competing with the world’s leading defence powers.

Serving simultaneously as Secretary of Defence Research and Development and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Singh stressed that technological self-reliance remains central to India’s long-term national security strategy.

He said the reforms introduced by the government have significantly improved the investment climate for defence manufacturing by creating a level playing field for private companies and start-ups. Measures such as simplified procurement procedures, greater transparency, and improved visibility of defence orders have encouraged both established firms and emerging technology companies to invest in India’s rapidly expanding defence sector.

Singh observed that the defence market has traditionally functioned as a single-buyer ecosystem, making it essential for the government to provide long-term clarity and confidence to manufacturers. These structural reforms, he said, are intended to reduce entry barriers while enabling companies to scale production and invest in research and development with greater certainty.

The Defence Secretary emphasised that India’s vision extends beyond import substitution. Instead, the country seeks to establish itself as a global leader in designing, developing and manufacturing advanced defence technologies, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthening strategic autonomy.

According to Singh, technological superiority has become inseparable from national security, making indigenous innovation a critical pillar of India’s defence policy. He argued that developing home-grown platforms not only enhances operational capability but also safeguards India’s strategic interests in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

The government’s growing emphasis on drones forms part of a broader military modernisation strategy that seeks to integrate unmanned systems into every branch of the armed forces. These platforms are expected to play an expanding role in surveillance, intelligence gathering, precision strikes, logistics support, electronic warfare, border monitoring and maritime security

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)