Operation Sindoor changed everything — India’s drone industry veterans reveal what really happened on the front lines and what comes next.
Moderated by a journalist who spent 36 days covering Operation Sindoor from Kashmir, this high-energy panel features Major General Indrabalan, Wing Commander Nijjar, and startup founders whose drone systems were deployed in live combat during the operation. The discussion moves beyond tactical brilliance to examine the structural evolution of India’s 600-company drone ecosystem, the role of indigenous startups embedded with the Indian Army in real-time, and the gap between where India is and where it needs to be to become a genuine drone power. Panellists speak candidly about bureaucratic friction, procurement speed, and the national call that defence entrepreneurs answered.

About the Speakers:

Maj Gen M. Indrabalan (Retd.) is a celebrated Indian Army officer—UN peacekeeping veteran, Kargil War participant, former Additional Director General of NCC (Bihar-Jharkhand)—also known for pioneering youth engagement via NCC UDAAN and as CTO of deep-tech firm Aeronero.

Sai Pattabiram is an Indian aerospace engineer and entrepreneur, the founder and managing director of Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies (Chennai), which pioneered indigenous drone platforms such as NavGati and Ajeet Mini, bolstering India’s autonomous drone and defense capabilities.

Wing Commander Bhupender S. Nijjar is a distinguished Indian Air Force helicopter pilot and air defense specialist, known for operational leadership, advanced aerial tactics, and post-service contributions to defense innovation.

Satyabrata Satapathy is the Co-Founder and CEO of BonV Aero, an Odisha-based deep-tech startup pioneering India’s first fully autonomous, high-altitude logistics drones—designed and manufactured indigenously for critical applications such as defense, disaster relief, and supply-chain logistics.

Moderator:
Shiv Aroor is a prominent Indian defence journalist and author—currently Managing Editor at NDTV—known for his frontline reporting from conflict zones, founding the acclaimed defence news portal Livefist, and writing bestselling military books like Operation Jinnah and the India’s Most Fearless series.