The blitzkrieg of Indian technologies was on full display during the short but decisive engagement between India and Pakistan during 6/7 to 10/11 May 2025. The engagement decisively proved the superiority of Indian radars, missiles, rockets, drones, software, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance, electronic warfare, AI enabled command and control, avionics, aerospace, satellites and many more technologies over the adversary’s acquired capabilities in these fields. Pakistan had overwhelming presence of such technologies in their arsenal from China and Türkiye. Those technologies were fully defeated and dominated by Indian measures and countermeasures. This must be giving sleepless nights to not only the perpetrators of terrorism, but also to their supporters beyond the national borders of Pakistan. The war has justly brought out the visionary approaches of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, launched by the Bharat Sarkar in 2014 and 2020 respectively.

Some of the notable indigenous weapons that proved their worthiness during this short war include ‘Brahmos’ missile weapon system, ‘Akash’ Air Defence Systems, Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM), ‘Akashteer’ Air Defence Control and Reporting System, upgraded and improved L-70, Zu-23 guns and Schilka weapon system, and high-power laser based counter UAV system D4. Designed and developed by DRDO with support from industry, or industry actively supported by DRDO, these systems were evaluated in rigorous trials and inducted into services.

Akashteer integrates all the ground radars of Indian Amy and Indian Air Force to present a holistic picture of the war-field to the commanders, enabling them to take AI and software assisted and informed decisions. The layered air defence schemes, as evident from the media footage, seem to have done its job well. As noted in PIB release dated 14th May 2025, several layers of weapons were used to neutralize the threats. These include multi-layered AD sensors and weapons including point defence weapons (low level AD guns, MANPADS, Short range SAMs), area defence weapons (AD fighters, longer range SAMs) and counter UAS systems (both hard and soft kill systems). On the offensive side, Brahmos has outshone all the other weapons deployed by both sides. Already introduced in Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, the weapon system successfully neutralized various targets deep inside enemy territory. Brahmos missile system, produced by Indo-Russia joint venture company Brahmos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, is in the category of most accurate supersonic missiles in the world. It can be launched from land, air and ship and can neutralize enemy targets deep inside enemy territory. Loitering munitions and ‘kamikaze drones’ performed superbly in neutralizing key Pakistani targets and airbases on Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan. Indian EW systems, designed and developed by DRDO and produced by BEL, successfully jammed Chinese supplied air defence system of Pakistan. Chairman ISRO also confirmed that 10 satellites were on continuous duty to provide surveillance and situation awareness to Indian Armed Forces.

Apart from success of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’ programmes, this war has also highlighted achievements that can be accrued due to supporting policy regime. Drone Rules 2021 and Drone Shakti Mission 2022 galvanized Indian technical brains and entrepreneurial minds in startups and MSMEs to forge public-private partnerships resulting into multiple types of indigenous Kamikaze and surveillance drones and loitering munitions, armed with indigenous navigation and AI capabilities. SkyStriker and Nagastra, in association with loitering munitions like ‘Harpy’ and ‘Herop’ may be just a few names that tilted the balance in India’s favour.

What has yet not come out in public discourse so far is the supremacy of Indian capabilities in cyber defence. India has an elaborate set up to detect, track, respond and neutralize cyber threats. However, the core technical work falls under the charter of DRDO. It is to the credit of the elaborate mechanism put in by the government, and the technological strength of the involved scientific community, that the inimical forces could not penetrate the iron wall of Indian cyber network.

It may be appreciated that the design philosophies, principles and mathematics of weapons and platforms are all well documented in literature. What differentiates a successful R&D endeavour from an average one is the accuracy in assumptions, initial conditions and the boundary conditions adopted during the design phase. System engineering, simulation rigours, state of art manufacturing processes, integration mechanisms and quality apparatus are the tools that translate paper design into a viable-competitive product. All these processes get evaluated to some extent in trials that simulate war-like conditions, not the real ones. It was the first time in a while that the fruits of indigenous R&D were tested against real threats and real targets during these four days, and they proved to be sweeter than the supposedly sweetest ones. DRDO, and the Department of Defence R&D in the Ministry of Defence, have proved their technological prowess beyond doubt. Hopefully, the ever-doubting Thomases in the country will now fall silent.

As the glitter of Indian technologies started showing, the sheen of the Chinese weaponry and Turkish drones dimmed. None of their celebrated systems could face the onslaught of India-grown technologies and systems. Radars were comprehensibly silenced, drones were pulverized, and missiles were neutralized. The imported weapons and platforms of Pakistan could not match the measure and countermeasure technologies of the Indian defence forces. Indian defence scientists have now convincingly demonstrated their technological might.

DRDO has built a good defence technology ecosystem in the country through schemes like Technology Development Fund (TDF), Development cum Production Partner (DcPP), Development Contract (DC), Research Boards, Centres of Excellence and Extramural research. The need is now to support this ecosystem with more flexible approach, financial empowerment, enhanced allocations, an integrated approach towards science and technology and positive roles of all stakeholders. As demonstrated, the country has achieved a high order of self-reliance in defence science and technology. But, the pace of scientific advancements is ever increasing. With past challenges overcome, the newer ones will appear. Multi-disciplinary and multi-domain threats require sustained research and development, collaborative approach, innovative thinking and risk taking. For the present success to continue, India, while solving tomorrow’s challenges, must not hesitate in initiating moon-shot R&D projects to be in the driving seat day after tomorrow as well.

The current success will undoubtedly motivate everyone, especially the scientific community.

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