India showed complete dominance during the Sindoor operation, introduced its air and air defense, said G. Satheesh Reddy, a former secretary, research and development and chairman, a defensive and development organization (DrDO), while expressing happiness that most of them were indigenous systems.
He warned that technology was changing very quickly and the induction process should not be as long as to get this technology until it is listed.
“I want to say that this war brought many positive things to India. First, many indigenous systems were used very efficiently, so the confidence of the armed forces in indigenous equipment has achieved historical maximum native systems and should therefore be ready and be prepared to absorb bulk orders,” Reddy, currently President of the Aeronautical Society of India.
“The international community has seen the ability of India, so I feel that exports will also see another period of significant growth. These are important ways for India from this conflict – and gave the opportunity to grow and challenges to all parties involved, who are also preparing to meet them.”
The multilayer air defense system in the country worked smoothly during the conflict from 7 to 10. May and integrated a number of systems ranging from the long S-400, medium rocket range (SAM), Akash and Spyder and various air weapons. Dr. Reddy said he was particularly proud of Akash Sam, one of the missiles developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development. “It was a project that was not conceived by none other than Dr. Apj Abdul Kalam. I have heard that our armed forces are extremely satisfied with the performance of this system.”
Dr. Reddy noticed that almost all attempts to attack the enemy were neutralized by air defense systems in the country, and stated that the Sindoor operation has shown the effectiveness of Indian air defense systems, largely grown domestic, and at the same time shows the depth in its offensive arsenal.
What the country should focus on in the near future has stressed that investments in specialized technologies are crucial and also intuitively invest in the face of these specialized technologies, especially those that focus on longer ranges with cost -effective means and countermeasures that can face enemy detection attacks.
Excerpts from the interview:
What is your overall rating of SINDOOR Operation?
First, it is important to understand that what happened in this conflict differs in comparison with earlier conflicts, unlike any other typical war that India has fought so far. First, it was largely an air or air war, which completely tested air energy and air defense of our country, across platforms with crew and unmanned platforms. Second, for India, it was the moment of counting that confirmed our ecosystem of domestic defense production. Over the past 10 years, we have discussed (and have been) over the past 10 years for buying and induction of more native weapons. Today, this happened to a large extent, and as reports and prints and the release of MOD, the Sindoor operation was fought with most of the native weapons and equipment. Our determination in the last decade was the strengthening of our indigenous ecosystem and the events in the last few years, especially the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and the Covid pandemia, have re-emphasized the risks of obtaining from the global supplier chain. In my opinion, the Sindoor operation not only confirmed our determination of Atmanirbharat, but also set a way for future public procurement strategies.
Overall, the Sindoor operation emphasized the complete dominance of India, where complete terrorist camps were excluded in the first attack, and in the second the enemy air radars and other systems were neutralized, followed by an attack on their air bases and using our air defense systems to avoid counterattacks. It is encouraging to see that almost all the enemy’s attempts to attack were neutralized by our air defense systems in the air itself-few of them that went through them were not as effective as they did no significant damage in themselves. Sindoor operation has shown the effectiveness of Indian air defense systems (largely grown) and at the same time introduced the depth of Arsenal attack to target and neutralize all the basic placement of the enemy. I am extremely happy that most of the systems used were indigenous systems. It is time for the government and industry to go on a full throttle to further strengthen the indigenous production of defense and the ecosystem of research and development.
We are talking about many Indian systems integrated with imported systems, all of which worked smoothly. So what does you excel in the story of success? And are there any limitations or aspects to focus on?
First, the Sindoor operations have witnessed several indigenous systems that were used, including air defense radars that worked very well. The integrated operation of the complete radar network with other elements of air defense worked very well and the laminated air defense with multiple weapons also proved to be very effective – whether it is Akash missiles, Mediurm Range Surface Air (MRSAM) or others.
I think that the command and control center was fully aware of the situation and to be monitored and targeting each incoming object with the appropriate weapon, it required a strong and complex connectivity with the entire ecosystem. We have heard that anti-dron systems were also fully functional and were able to handle almost all incoming robots and swarms of drones. This repeats the fact that there must be investments in much more advanced systems with strong connectivity and integration, so one system can speak to another. We need to have/create this vision and invest in niches and futuristic areas so that we can be in front of a technological curve. The enemy understands our ability now, and therefore it is even more necessary to continue to evolve and be more advanced in our attack and defense for the future.
What should our priority be in the next 5-10 years?
Investments in specialized technologies are key and intuitively invest in the fight against these specialized technologies. If there is technology, it is more likely that the enemy also knows about it, and it is therefore important to have a discouraging or defense mechanism against it.
For example, technological development in the area of unmanned systems (across land, sea and air) is growing at exponential pace. We as a country have to focus on unmanned, unmanned and anti-disappeared technologies in large-scale micro drones up to mini-unprofitable air vehicles (UAV) to drone swarms, to secret high height (Hall) and combat versions (UGV) (UGV) (UGV) (UGV) (UGV) (UGV) (UGV). We need to work strongly on the areas of top technologies, including hypessors, quantum technologies, laser weapons, electromagnetics, higher accuracy and long -range sensors and highly miniaturized electronics. We need to look at technologies that can focus on longer ranges with cost -effective means, and we also need to look at cost -effective technologies that can face enemy detection attacks and connecting to long -haul range using hard killing mechanisms and soft killing. We must also consider the possibility that the future war can only revolve around the universe and/or cybernetics, so we must continue our research and development and innovation in these areas, at a faster pace and with stronger determination.
If you have to choose one main system as a story about success, what would it be?
I feel more proud of Akash missile systems because it is one of the missiles that has been developed within the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). It was a project that no one other than Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. I have heard that our armed forces are extremely satisfied with the performance of this system. This is definitely a proud moment for me and for everyone, I have to say. There are other weapons such as the other Sam and Brahmos who reportedly worked very well. Our radars and more sensors (both in the air and on the ground) effectively negated enemy attacks.
I would like to add that for a lot of weapons that are currently evolving, if they appear quickly, our armed forces will be significantly reinforced. With the current indigenous content in the armed forces at 60-65%, which will soon go to 75-80%, it will be another big jump to indigenize. We need to develop mechanisms and processes to ensure that the purchase cycle from development to induction occurs in the most effective and effective way.
So how do you ensure that the development and orders occur quickly?
The processes must be simplified and sequential induction processes should also be removed. The integrated system should be brought so that it is an integrated process from development to induction, and the plan for each project release should be very clearly defined. This will allow the industry to plan its capacities and abilities and come up with production facilities at the beginning. There are several systems where the development, production and induction has occurred, and this should be replicated for further awarding public procurement. The technology is changing rapidly and the internal process from developing induction should not allow the technology to stop at the time it is listed.
I want to say that this war brought many positive things to India. First, many indigenous systems were used very effectively, so the confidence of the armed forces in indigenous equipment has reached the highest maximum. I believe it will lead to more energetic and efficient induction of indigenous systems. The morale of the scientific community is very high today and it prepares a way for the development of many more advanced systems. The industry is now more confident that it is obtaining production orders for indigenous systems and should therefore be prepared and ready to absorb collective orders. The international community has seen the ability of India, so I feel that exports will also see another period of significant growth. These are important ways for India from this conflict and have provided the opportunity for growth and challenges to all parties involved, which also prepare to meet the same.
Published – May 25, 2025 22:09
