IAF Conducts Industry Outreach Programme on Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Roadmap
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday conducted an Industry Outreach Programme at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to engage with stakeholders, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), startups and...
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday conducted an Industry Outreach Programme at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to engage with stakeholders, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), startups and industry partners and share its long-term capability requirements in unmanned and autonomous systems.
The programme was chaired by Air Marshal Premkumar K, VM, VSM, Director General (Weapon Systems), Air Headquarters. Around 100 representatives from drone companies and affiliated industry partners participated, reflecting growing engagement between the IAF and India’s unmanned systems ecosystem.
The programme provided a platform for the IAF to outline its operational requirements and technological priorities, building on the IAF Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Roadmap, released during IAF Dronathon 2026 at Pokhran on September 14. The IAF outlined its future requirements and distributed copies of the roadmap booklet to industry partners.
The initiative aims to help industry partners gain a better understanding of the IAF’s operational requirements in unmanned and autonomous systems. Recognising the rapid evolution of air power, the roadmap envisages a layered and networked family of unmanned systems. It emphasises the development of operationally relevant, reliable and resilient indigenous capabilities to complement existing and future manned platforms, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence.
The programme emphasised that Aatmanirbharta in unmanned systems is an operational necessity, not merely an aspiration. Indigenous propulsion, autonomous software, resilient navigation and standardised interfaces were identified as critical technology areas requiring focused attention to reduce dependence on external sources and strengthen the domestic defence ecosystem.
Through sustained engagement with industry, MSMEs, startups and academia, the IAF aims to accelerate innovation, encourage collaborative development and translate emerging technologies into credible operational capabilities. The initiative also seeks to build a robust domestic ecosystem that supports India’s Aatmanirbharta in defence technology.
-PIB inputs
The post IAF Conducts Industry Outreach Programme on Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Roadmap appeared first on DD India.
No Comment! Be the first one.