The Real Lesson from the Armed Conflict: Invest in Indigenous Defence Innovation

The recent armed conflict between India and Pakistan, though brief, served as a powerful reminder of India’s growing military strength. The superiority was clear—not just in the size of our forces, but in the professionalism, discipline, and the decisive use of modern, technology-driven warfare.
But behind this display of strength lies an uncomfortable truth: a significant portion of India’s advanced weaponry is imported, and a large chunk of the expenditure goes into acquiring foreign technology. In other words, our dominance on the battlefield today is heavily underwritten by systems and capabilities developed abroad.

It’s time to change

This raises an urgent and fundamental question: Why is a country known globally for its engineering talent still dependent on other nations for critical military technology?
Every year, India’s top engineering institutes—especially the IITs—produce graduates whose potential is on par with the best in the world. Many go on to innovate in Silicon Valley, build successful startups, or join multinational firms. And while their achievements deserve applause, the larger question remains: why are we not harnessing this immense intellectual capital for our national defence?

The answer lies in our historical underinvestment in defence research and development (R&D), and in the lack of a robust ecosystem that encourages engineers to solve problems of strategic importance. For decades, we’ve chosen the shortcut of importing rather than investing time and resources in building from the ground up. This approach may offer short-term tactical advantages, but it leaves us vulnerable in the long run—economically, strategically, and technologically.

It’s time to change that. The lesson from the recent conflict is not just that we can win; it’s that we must prepare to win on our own terms—with tools and systems designed, developed, and built in India.

Imagine what could be achieved if even a fraction of the talent currently building delivery apps, fintech platforms, or working for foreign tech giants were redirected toward indigenous defence innovation. Imagine if our brightest minds were challenged and incentivised to build the next generation of drones, missile guidance systems, battlefield communication platforms, and AI-powered surveillance tools. Not only would such a shift reduce our dependence on imports, it would create a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem that benefits both the defence sector and the economy.

Signs of progress

There are signs of progress. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), start-ups under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, and private players are beginning to change the landscape. But much more needs to be done—and at a much faster pace. We need massive and sustained public investment in defence R&D, deep partnerships between academia, industry, and the armed forces, and policy reforms that reward risk-taking and innovation.
Above all, we must create an environment where India’s young engineers see working on national security challenges not just as a career option, but as a mission of national importance.

India’s military edge in the future must not rest on foreign technology. It must rest on the minds of Indians—and the tools they are empowered to build. That is the only way to ensure long-term strategic autonomy and true Atmanirbharta in defence.
The conflict has shown us what we’re capable of. Now it must push us to go further—to invest in our own people, our own ideas, and our own future.

(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)