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From Import Dependence to Self-Reliance: Amit Mahajan on Paras Defence's Role in India's Defence Transformation
With India strengthening its position as a global superpower, the very first milestone is that India’s defence and space sector is no longer defined by dependence on imports. The country is steadily emerging as a hub of indigenous innovation, self-reliance, and world-class engineering. At the forefront of this transformation stands Paras Defence and Space Technologies Ltd., a company trusted by DRDO, ISRO, the Ministry of Defence, and global clients from Israel to the U.S. to deliver mission-critical technologies. With expertise ranging from optronic periscopes and EMP protection to advanced drone and space optics, Paras Defence has become synonymous with innovation that strengthens India’s strategic autonomy.
In this Independence Day special interview, Amit Mahajan, Director of Paras Defence and Space Technologies, discusses how the company is contributing to critical defence programs, such as Operation Sindoor, co-developing next-generation UAVs and high-precision optical systems, and shaping India’s presence in the global defence exports market. From building the country’s first Optics Park to pushing the frontiers of quantum communication and AI-enabled combat systems, Amit shares how Paras Defence is powering India’s rise as a leader in dual-use defence and space technologies.
India’s defence sector is undergoing massive transformation amid global geopolitical shifts. How is Paras contributing to mission-critical programs, such as Operation Sindoor, and helping India assert its strategic autonomy?
Paras Defence has been a committed and proactive contributor to India’s strategic self-reliance in defence, particularly in Defence electronics, EMP protection, anti-drone technologies, and high-precision optronic systems. In Operation Sindoor, our air defence technologies, particularly our drone detection and counter-drone systems, played a crucial role. These platforms were deployed in the field and were evaluated by the armed forces for emerging requirements.
We have recently been awarded a contract to develop a laser-based air defence system, which is a significant vote of confidence in our and India’s private sector capabilities by the DRDO. This outsourcing of a complex technology platform also reflects the government’s growing readiness to entrust mission-critical innovation to Indian industry.
In addition, our strategic partnership with Israel-based Controp is enhancing India’s capabilities in precision optronic systems for various platforms, including Air Defence. These systems are vital for border surveillance, counter-UAV operations, and battlefield situational awareness capabilities that reinforce India’s goal of strategic autonomy.
What are the most challenging roadblocks Indian defence manufacturers face today around export competitiveness, IP protection, and technology transfer, and what must change to make India a true global defence manufacturing power?
India’s defence manufacturing sector is steadily maturing, where the transition from a development-centric to a production-centric ecosystem remains a critical inflection point. Structural hurdles, such as fragmented supply networks, limited scale, and a lack of cohesive and export-grade manufacturing ecosystems, continue to show slow progress. However, the momentum is shifting. Policy-led reforms such as DAP, indigenisation lists, and the emergence of long-term, production-focused opportunities like DCPP tenders are driving systemic changes. The goal now is not just to develop but to produce at scale consistently, indigenously, and competitively.
The challenge lies in the pace of transition. Building long-term project visibility has begun, yet the industry must gear up financially, technologically, and operationally to respond proactively. At the core of this readiness is the need for a robust industrial ecosystem. That means not just OEMs, but raw material suppliers, component manufacturers, and technology developers working in sync. The ecosystem must mature rapidly enough to support rapid production scale-up, IP protection, and the adoption of advanced technologies.
To transition from reactive production to proactive value creation, investment in indigenous research and development (R&D) and novel technologies is crucial. It’s not just about integrating foreign systems. It’s about enhancing indigenous content and developing domestic capabilities. India is now ready to transition from a dependence on tech transfer to self-led innovation, except for time-critical, mission-specific systems. Paras Defence, with IDDM-aligned capabilities and partnerships across academia and global innovators, has demonstrated what this transition looks like. A mature domestic base that adds value, intellectually and technologically, is what will ultimately drive sustainable export competitiveness.
As the only Indian company building Optronic Periscopes and advancing space optics and drone systems, how is Paras Defence strengthening India's Make in India vision while expanding its global defence export footprint?
We are among a select group of Indian firms with expertise in the design & development of electro-optics, mechanical systems, and embedded electronics. Our indigenous periscope system, developed in collaboration with DRDO, is a Make-in-India milestone in naval innovation.
In the space segment, we have worked closely with the country's Space Research Organisation to co-develop critical optical components and optoelectronic payloads for satellites and scientific missions, helping to reduce India’s reliance on foreign suppliers in high-precision optics. Paras’ offerings are now being deployed across various platforms, ranging from UAVs and drones to manned aircraft and even satellites, demonstrating versatility and scalability. Through our partnership with Controp and its subsidiary, MicroCon, we now offer an EO/IR product portfolio that meets international standards, enabling us to target new export markets worldwide.
Expanding beyond EO/IR systems, through our joint venture with Heven Drones, we’re introducing a new class of multi-role, heavy-lift hydrogen-powered UAVs for logistics, ISR, and border operations built for both domestic use and export to geographies requiring autonomous, rugged aerial systems.
As these platforms mature and production scales up, we are steadily building an export-ready supply chain, positioning ourselves and India as a global supplier of ruggedised optronic solutions for battlefield applications. The export of our in-house developed technologies is a sign of India's rising status, which has evolved from a global manufacturing hub to a world-class development cluster.
India is fast becoming a global space-tech hub. How do you see Mumbai’s transformation into a key innovation node, and what role will Paras play in shaping India’s rise in commercial and strategic space programs?
Mumbai has long been the nerve centre of India’s private sector defence and aerospace industry, housing several flagship OEMs and system integrators. We added a new dimension to this legacy by committing to build India’s first Optics Park, an integrated ecosystem dedicated to optics technology and innovation.
This will enable the co-development of high-precision components for satellites, telescopes, and defence payloads, while supporting the industry working in photonics and sensor tech. It also reflects a wider trend: Mumbai’s transformation from a manufacturing hub to an innovation cluster, particularly in domains such as space optics, integrated imaging, and quantum sensors.
By driving infrastructure creation and R&D convergence, we aim to catalyse the next phase of Make in India for both strategic and commercial missions.
How is Paras Defence rethinking its R&D priorities to stay ahead in areas such as quantum communication, EMP protection, and AI-powered combat systems?
We have always prioritised R&D as a strategic imperative. Given our strength in optics and photonics, quantum communication is a natural forward integration. We are already engaged in early-stage research on quantum-secure communication networks, which are expected to become the backbone of future military and satellite communication.
In EMP protection, we are the only Indian company in the country to offer turnkey EMP-hardened shelters and EMP-resistant electronic systems, which are critical for command centers, airbases, and satellite ground stations.
Additionally, AI is being actively integrated into our EO/IR systems, which now feature automated threat detection and target tracking. The future roadmap involves fusing these with decision support systems to build AI-enabled combat systems, paving the way for edge-autonomous battlefield capabilities.
How is India positioning itself in the global race for dual-use defence technologies like AI, autonomy, and edge computing, and what is the single most critical factor India must get right to lead this transformation?
India is gradually stepping up in areas such as AI, autonomy, and edge computing, with early-stage efforts visible across both the public and private sectors. While global standards are still evolving, domestic momentum is growing rapidly. At Paras Defence, we’re cautiously exploring how AI and intelligent decision-making can complement our existing systems, particularly in electro-optics, EMP, and Quantum Technologies.
The most important factor will be building an environment that encourages long-term, application-driven innovation. Moving from pilots to practical, field-ready systems will take time, and sustained support will be key.
