The Indian Army has started a revolutionary path towards technical independence, and between 2023 and 2025, many innovative in-house technologies will go into service. This military modernisation initiative marks a substantial shift away from the previous reliance on foreign technologies and is primarily led by breakthroughs created within the ranks.
From unmanned ground vehicles and aerial systems to electronic warfare and support infrastructure, the Army’s emphasis on promoting internal innovation has produced impressive results in a variety of fields. These innovations are all intended to address India’s particular operational challenges while improving combat effectiveness, lowering casualties, and guaranteeing strategic autonomy in a security environment that is becoming more complex.
India’s drive for military independence is motivated by both strategic need and the understanding that indigenous solutions frequently better meet particular operational needs. The focus on domestic growth is in line with the larger “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India) policy, which aims to lessen reliance on foreign sources in vital areas, especially defence. This strategy has gained traction as active military members with direct combat experience provide their knowledge to create workable answers for India’s particular security issues.
By promoting cooperation between military personnel, defence research agencies, and private business partners, the Army Design Bureau (ADB) has become a vital innovation hub. Many field-ready solutions that fill certain operational gaps noted by frontline soldiers have been developed as a result of this ecosystem. These devices are not only technically solid but also useful in actual combat situations because to the participation of active-duty officers and soldiers in the development process.
The primary role played by serving soldiers has been the most notable feature of India’s recent military technological development. Having created several combat-critical systems, including as the Xploder UGV, Agniastra detonation system, and Vidyut Rakshak power management solution, Major Rajprasad of the 7 Engineer Regiment is a prime example of this tendency. End users’ active participation in the innovation process has sped up development cycles and guaranteed that solutions meet real-world operational needs rather than merely theoretical ones.
The Indian Army has developed a more flexible and responsive innovation ecosystem by utilising the knowledge and experience of its soldiers. This strategy has produced technologies especially made for India’s many operating conditions, ranging from counter-insurgency operations in a variety of terrains to the high-altitude Himalayan areas.
The Indian Army’s counter-IED capabilities have advanced with the introduction of the Xploder Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV). This remotely operated equipment, created by Army Design Bureau Major Rajprasad, tackles improvised explosive devices, one of the most enduring challenges to Indian military.
The substantial casualties inflicted by IEDs in advanced regions served as the impetus for the invention of the Xploder, illustrating how direct operational experience may spur focused innovation.
The Xploder has demonstrated its operational efficacy and adaptability after extensive testing in a variety of Indian environments, including the woods of the Northeast, the mountains of Jammu & Kashmir, and the deserts of Rajasthan. It may carry out a variety of tasks, such as remote IED disposal, explosive payload delivery, unmanned reconnaissance, and even kamikaze operations to destroy terrorist hideouts. Its capacity to self-destruct increases its usefulness in hazardous situations and gives tactical commanders more choices for intricate operations.
Within months, hundreds of the system will be inducted into infantry, Special Forces, and Corps of Engineers units as part of a private industry partner’s mass production. The effectiveness of the Army’s new innovation approach is demonstrated by the quick turnaround time from concept to deployment.
Major Rajprasad also created the Agniastra multi-target portable remote detonation system, which greatly improves the Army’s demolition capabilities. With a range of up to 2.5 kilometres and the ability to function in both wired and wireless modes, this microprocessor-based electronic gadget allows for the selective firing of multiple targets either independently or concurrently. From a safer distance, this accuracy offers tactical advantages for eliminating hostile targets and neutralising IEDs.
One notable feature of the system is its adaptability to both conventional warfare and counterterrorism operations; it may be deployed manually or by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The Agniastra provides better deployment flexibility and operational range than comparable international systems, such as Israel’s Spike FireFly, proving that domestic innovation may produce technologies that are especially tailored for Indian needs.
The Corps of Engineers is already using the WEDC, which is another of Major Rajprasad’s innovative successes. By using wireless electronic detonation of explosives, this technology improves the efficiency and safety of demolition operations. The Army’s strategy for internal technical development is validated by its operational success and subsequent induction into service.
Increasing Combat Capabilities with Aerial Warfare Systems: FPV, or first-person view Drones: The Ability to Strike with Precision
With the successful construction and testing of a First Person View (FPV) drone fitted with an impact-based, kamikaze-role anti-tank munition in March 2025, the Indian Army accomplished a noteworthy milestone in tactical drone warfare. India’s increasing proficiency in low-cost, high-impact aerial strike systems is demonstrated by this system, which was created by the Fleur-De-Lis Brigade in partnership with the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
In order to produce a combat drone that is extremely effective, the program, which was started in August 2024, underwent a great deal of research, development, and testing. The dual-safety mechanism built into the payload system is a significant innovation that reduces operator hazards and increases reliability by preventing inadvertent detonation during handling, flight, and transportation.
This breakthrough is especially noteworthy because the Rising Star Drone Battle School, which produced more than 100 drones by March 2025, is able to fully assemble the FPV drones in-house. By maximising structural integrity, weight distribution, and flight dynamics for improved manoeuvrability and operational efficacy, this self-reliant technique guarantees total control over build quality, component integration, and real-time adjustments.
Additionally, the Indian Army showed a multifunctional octo-copter made especially for difficult high-altitude conditions. Delivering vital supplies in High Altitude Areas (HAA) is one of the many uses for this adaptable drone platform, which has a 25 kg payload capacity. This capacity maintains operational preparedness in remote areas by guaranteeing that soldiers stationed at forward posts receive essential supplies.
Beyond logistics, the octocopter’s high-resolution cameras that give operators real-time video feeds offer useful monitoring and reconnaissance capabilities. Commanders can react quickly to changing threats and make well-informed judgements because to this improved situational awareness.
This platform’s offensive capabilities are what turn it from a support system into a combat asset. The octocopter can conduct offensive operations and help ground forces from close range thanks to its platforms for dropping grenades and equipping assault guns. Because of its adaptability, it can be a real force multiplier in situations involving high altitude combat, when conventional support systems might encounter severe operational limitations.
The successful validation of Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) at the tactical level represents a revolutionary step forward in the Indian Army’s fighting capabilities. The Trishakti Corps showcased this ground-breaking idea, which combines unmanned systems and human-operated platforms, at Exercise Sarvshakti, which was carried out under the Eastern Command in early 2025.
By combining the accuracy, durability, and expendability of autonomous machines with the situational awareness and decision-making skills of human operators, MUM-T capitalises on the advantages of both manned and unmanned systems. The objective is to provide a clear advantage over enemies while increasing battlefield awareness, expanding operational reach, and lowering personnel danger.
The validation procedure encompassed numerous scenarios, including reconnaissance and targeting where UAVs studied enemy locations and sent live feeds to human forces, enabling precise targeting without exposing troops. The drill also showed coordinated strikes, combining human supervision with machine accuracy as manned platforms guided unmanned systems to engage targets. This effective demonstration shows that India is prepared to integrate cutting-edge technology with frontline tactics in order to adjust to the changing character of combat.
Beyond combat equipment, the Indian Army is working to modernise vital support infrastructure. Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi, the Vice Chief of the Indian Army, formally introduced the Vidyut Rakshak, an integrated generator monitoring, protection, and control system enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT), in June 2024. “Exercise Bharat Shakti” featured this innovation by Major Rajprasad, which was a major advancement in the Indian Army’s “Year of Tech Absorption” program.
The Vidyut Rakshak uses state-of-the-art IoT technology to improve the performance of Indian Army engines. This system’s universal compatibility—it may be used with any army generator, regardless of kind, make, model, or age—is one of its most impressive features. The system drastically lowers the need for people by automating manual control activities, detecting faults predictively, and monitoring generator parameters in real time.
The strategic importance of this technology goes beyond its practicality. Vidyut Rakshak can decrease maintenance expenses and downtime by extending the service life of vital equipment through the use of predictive maintenance techniques. According to Army Chief General Manoj Pande, this system is a prime example of how technology can revolutionise military support and logistics operations.
With indigenous systems like Pinaka rockets, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) howitzers, and K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery systems, the Indian Army has greatly improved its artillery capabilities. These advancements support India’s defence modernisation and self-reliance initiatives and are consistent with the “Make in India” campaign.
The Army benefits from increased firepower, mobility, and accuracy thanks to the domestic artillery systems—all essential components of contemporary conventional warfare. India can lessen its reliance on foreign vendors for vital defence equipment while yet meeting the unique needs of its armed forces by fostering the development of these capabilities domestically.
The Indian Army’s creation and application of homegrown military technologies represents a turning point in the country’s defence innovation strategy. This change is taking place on several levels, including technological, operational, and strategic, and it has a significant impact on India’s military industry and security posture.
Commanders have improved capabilities in a variety of military missions thanks to the new indigenous technology. Technologies like as the Agniastra detonation system and the Xploder UGV allow for safer and more efficient threat neutralisation in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency situations. Drone systems and the artillery modernisation program greatly improve firepower and intelligence capabilities for conventional combat.
These indigenous technologies’ ability to be tailored to India’s particular operating settings is one of its main advantages. These technologies have been developed with particular Indian requirements in mind and proven in the many terrains where Indian forces operate, in contrast to off-the-shelf foreign systems. This customised strategy guarantees peak performance in real-world deployment situations.
India lessens its susceptibility to sanctions, political pressure, and limits on external supplies by producing vital technologies domestically. Given the unstable geopolitical landscape and the technology-denial regimes that have traditionally impacted India’s defence acquisitions, this increased strategic autonomy is especially crucial.
Within the domestic defence ecosystem, indigenous development also generates a positive feedback loop for innovation. The effective implementation of these systems shows off the skills of Indian manufacturers and designers, which could result in more R&D funding and export prospects.
The success of the Indian Army with homegrown technologies suggests a number of exciting avenues for future advancement. Future capabilities, especially in fields like artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and integrated battlefield management, will be influenced by the knowledge gathered from existing systems.
More chances for serving officers and soldiers to share their knowledge and ideas might be created by institutionalising and expanding the personnel-led innovation approach that has shown such effectiveness. This strategy not only produces workable answers but also fosters an innovative culture inside the armed forces.
The Indian Army has fundamentally reoriented its approach to military modernisation through its attempts to produce indigenous technology. The Army has created a number of combat-ready systems that improve its operational capabilities and lessen its reliance on outside sources by utilising the ingenuity and real-world experience of its workforce.
The success of programs like Vidyut Rakshak, Agniastra, FPV drones, and the Xploder UGV shows that domestic innovation can produce technologies that are especially tailored to India’s particular operating needs. In addition to improving the Army’s combat efficiency, these advancements have helped the country achieve its larger objective of military technological self-reliance.
India’s emphasis on domestic military innovation puts it in a better position to handle new security concerns as geopolitical complications continue to change and fighting gets more technologically complicated. A critical turning point that will influence the Indian Army’s capabilities and doctrine for many years to come is the shift from technology consumer to technology maker.
