New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has engaged around 100 representatives from drone companies, startups, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other industry partners to discuss its long-term requirements for unmanned and autonomous systems, with a focus on developing indigenous defence technologies.
The Industry Outreach Programme was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on October 21, 2026. It was chaired by Air Marshal Premkumar K, VM, VSM, Director General (Weapon Systems), Air Headquarters.
The programme provided a platform for the IAF to communicate its operational requirements and technological priorities to industry stakeholders, building on the IAF Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Roadmap released during IAF Dronathon 2026 at Pokhran on September 14, 2026.
IAF Shares Long-Term Unmanned Systems Roadmap
During the programme, the IAF explained its future requirements in unmanned and autonomous systems and distributed copies of its roadmap booklet to participating industry partners.
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The roadmap envisages a layered and networked family of unmanned systems designed to complement existing and future manned platforms.
It emphasises the development of indigenous capabilities that are operationally relevant, reliable and resilient, reflecting the evolving requirements of air power.
The engagement was intended to help industry stakeholders better understand the IAF’s future needs and align technological development with operational requirements.
Indigenous Defence Technology Identified as a Priority
The IAF emphasised that Aatmanirbharta in unmanned systems is an operational necessity rather than merely an aspiration.
Reducing dependence on external sources for critical technologies is a key consideration in strengthening India’s domestic defence ecosystem.
The programme highlighted several technology areas requiring focused attention:
- Indigenous propulsion: Developing domestic propulsion technologies for unmanned platforms.
- Autonomous software: Advancing software capabilities that enable unmanned systems to perform tasks with greater autonomy.
- Resilient navigation: Strengthening navigation capabilities to support reliable operations.
- Standardised interfaces: Developing common interfaces to improve integration and coordination among different systems.
These areas form part of the broader effort to build reliable, indigenous unmanned capabilities for the Indian Air Force.
Startups, MSMEs and Industry Partners in Focus
Around 100 representatives from drone companies and affiliated industry partners participated in the programme, reflecting engagement between the IAF and India’s unmanned systems industry.
The IAF aims to sustain collaboration with industry, MSMEs, startups and academia to accelerate innovation and support the development of technologies suited to its operational requirements.
The approach seeks to strengthen cooperation between the armed forces and domestic technology developers, helping translate emerging technologies into credible operational capabilities.
Building India’s Domestic Unmanned Systems Ecosystem
The outreach programme forms part of the IAF’s broader engagement with industry to advance the development of unmanned and autonomous systems.
Through sustained interaction with technology developers and academic institutions, the IAF aims to encourage collaborative development and strengthen domestic capabilities in critical defence technologies.
The initiative also supports the wider objective of Aatmanirbharta in defence by encouraging the development of indigenous technologies and reducing reliance on external sources for essential components and capabilities.
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