The Indian Air Force brought drone companies, MSMEs, startups and other industry partners together at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on 21 October 2026. Air Marshal Premkumar K, Director General of Weapon Systems at Air Headquarters, chaired the outreach programme. Approximately 100 industry representatives attended to hear the IAF’s long-term needs for unmanned and autonomous capabilities.
The discussion developed the roadmap released at IAF Dronathon 2026 in Pokhran on 14 September 2026. The IAF did not limit the meeting to explaining requirements: it also provided industry participants with the roadmap booklet to support a clearer understanding of operational priorities.
The roadmap envisages unmanned systems operating in layers and through connected networks. Its emphasis is on dependable indigenous capabilities that meet practical operational needs and remain resilient. These systems are intended to complement both aircraft already in service and future crewed platforms as the nature of air power changes.
Speakers framed self-reliance in unmanned systems as an operational requirement, not simply a longer-term aspiration. Areas identified for focused development included domestic propulsion, autonomous software, robust navigation and standard interfaces. Progress in these technologies is intended to reduce reliance on outside sources and strengthen India’s defence industrial base.
The IAF plans continued engagement with established industry, smaller firms, startups and academia. Through shared development and innovation, it seeks to turn emerging technologies into capabilities suitable for operations. The wider objective is a domestic ecosystem able to support the country’s defence-technology self-reliance.