Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has highlighted how startups are central to India’s defence innovation and that “Operation Sindoor” showcased indigenous technology and future warfare capabilities. The operation demonstrated high-impact, precision military action using Made-in-India equipment and underscored the growing importance of technology, such as drones and AI, in modern conflicts.

Role of Startups in Defence Innovation

Rajnath Singh has consistently emphasized that startups and MSMEs are the new driving forces of India’s defence ecosystem. He has encouraged young entrepreneurs to help make India a global leader in defence technology through initiatives like:

• Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX): This scheme, launched in 2018, connects young innovators and startups with the technological needs of the Armed Forces. As of November 2025, 672 winners have emerged from 565 challenges, demonstrating rapid growth in private sector participation.
• ADITI (Aatmanirbhar Defence Innovation & Technology Incubation): This initiative, along with the Technology Development Fund (TDF), provides opportunities and support for startups from ideation to production.
• “Make in India” Success: The Minister praised the swift adoption of indigenously developed equipment, noting that products from startups like Raphe mPhibr and Gravity Systems were successfully deployed during Operation Sindoor.

Tomorrow’s battlefields will be shaped by algorithms, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence — not just arms and ammunition.

Operation Sindoor as a Glimpse of Future Warfare

Operation Sindoor, a high-impact, short-duration counter-terrorism response launched in May 2025, served as a practical demonstration of modern, technology-driven warfare. Key aspects that showcased future warfare included:

• Precision and Speed: The operation involved precision airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) within a short window, using advanced systems like Rafale jets with SCALP and HAMMER missiles.
• Indigenous Technology: The effective use of Made-in-India equipment, including the Akash missile and the AkashTeer Air Defence Control System, was a key factor in the operation’s success.
• Tri-Service Synergy: The operation was cited as a prime example of seamless coordination and integration (jointness) among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, a crucial aspect of modern multi-domain operations.
• Technological Shift: Singh noted that future battlefields will be defined by “algorithms, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence,” and Operation Sindoor offered a demo of these capabilities in action.

The success of Operation Sindoor has been hailed as a significant shift in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine, demonstrating a new “normal” where cross-border terrorism will be met with a firm, decisive, and technologically advanced response.