At the NDTV Defence Summit 2026, Puneet Kaura, chief executive of defence‑avionics firm Samtel, warned that India must shift from 'make in India' to 'own in India' if it is to achieve its Viksit Bharat vision.
Samtel, which supplies radar, navigation and communication systems to air forces in Southeast Asia and Africa, is already in talks with U.S. customers for its advanced avionics.
Kaura pointed out that key drone components—autopilots, navigation units, gimbals and payloads—are still largely imported, and that building domestic tier‑one and tier‑two suppliers is essential to real capability.
He highlighted the rapid uptake of AI in defence, describing it as vital for sensing, detection and threat analysis, and said Indian firms must accelerate AI development to meet customer demand.
Beyond drones, Samtel is pushing into space, partnering with a Japanese company on debris‑management, and exploring IoT solutions for agriculture, fisheries and railways.
Kaura called on the industry to fast‑track domestic IP and set up joint ventures that would allow India to claim ownership of its defence technology by 2030.