Indigenisation of Critical Aerospace Components & Autonomous Defence Systems
Executive Summary
Defence chiefs, private precision engineering companies, and DRDO leadership address domestic production of gas turbine blades, advanced composite aerostructures, and counter-drone autonomous swarms.
Key Discussion Points
- 1Positive Indigenisation Lists have created a domestic order pipeline exceeding ₹1.8 lakh crore for private MSMEs and public shipyards.
- 2Single-crystal superalloy metallurgy for aero-engines has transitioned from research lab validation to industrial prototyping.
- 3Export orders for Indian artillery systems, sonars, and light combat avionics to partner nations in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America are surging.
Main Policy & Industry Recommendations
Create a dedicated Defence Industrial Test Facility Guarantee Fund to lower certification costs for precision SMEs.
Facilitate seamless technology transfer of dual-use satellite sensor and telecommunication patents to private industry.
Strategic Industry Implications
Secures domestic territorial defense while positioning India among the top 10 global defense equipment exporters by 2030.
Session Transcript
Timestamped recordNo sovereign nation can guarantee its security on imported weapons platforms. The defense industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are demonstrating that Indian private enterprise can produce world-class precision systems.
Ten years ago, private industry was treated as a sub-vendor. Today, we design, fabricate, and deliver complete advanced towed artillery platforms that beat global competitors on reliability and firing range.
Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Sanjeev Bakshi
Distinguished Fellow
Centre for Land Warfare Studies
Rajiv Batra
VerifiedPresident, Defence & Aerospace
Bharat Forge Engineering
Artillery & Specialized Metallurgy
Shalini Iyer
VerifiedCEO
Astra Autonomous Systems
Counter-Drone Swarms & AI Vision
- ›Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026 Simplification Framework.
- ›DDP 5th Positive Indigenisation List Notification.