'Expect surge in defence startup investments': Naukri.com founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani hails Akash, BrahMos impact

The recent India-Pakistan conflict has shifted attention towards the defence technology and drone start-ups. The drive towards defence self-sufficiency in India is fueling the growth of defence technology start-ups. Info Edge and Naurki.com founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani, in a post on X, wrote that India's drive towards achieving self-sufficiency in defence is fueling the growth of defence technology start-ups. 

"The Indian defence industry has come of age as evidenced by the performance of the Akash and Brahmos missiles in the recent conflict. I expect surge in investments in defence startup’s @DPIITGoI," Bikhchandani wrote.

Start-ups in India's defence technology sector that specialise in counter-drone systems are experiencing a significant increase in demand. This surge in interest comes after the recent military tensions with Pakistan, leading to an enhanced focus on bolstering the country's arsenal.
 
Based on data from Tracxn, drone start-ups in India have collectively raised $414 million in equity funding. The country currently houses 487 such start-ups, including well-known players like ideaForge, Zen Technologies, DroneAcharya, Garuda Aerospace, and Marut Drones.

Of these start-ups, 132 have received funding, with 28 of them securing Series A+ funding. The majority of these drones are utilized for civilian applications and infrastructure inspection, with some start-ups, like ideaForge, operating in dual-use categories encompassing civil and defence sectors.

In addition, a number of these start-ups are also involved in the development of defence technology. Tracxn's data indicates that India is home to 136 military tech start-ups, with companies like Newspace Research and Technologies and Tata Advanced Systems being noteworthy examples. 

The defence technology sector was previously dominated by public sector units (PSUs), but is now seeing an influx of deep tech and intellectual property-heavy startups.

This surge is driven by a confluence of factors: strong policy tailwinds, such as the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) prioritising Indian vendors, the earmarking of capital procurement budgets for domestic players, and increased funding under initiatives like iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence). These efforts aim to reduce India’s dependence on foreign defence imports and build a robust indigenous ecosystem.

PM Narendra Modi also praised India's defence companies during his national address on Tuesday, May 13, highlighting the need for defense equipment that is "Made in India." This push for locally manufactured defense products has led to a significant increase in India's defense exports, reaching Rs 23,622 crore in the financial year 2025, marking a 12% growth from the previous year's figure of Rs 21,083 crore.

In a recent post on "X," the Ministry of Defence announced India's ambitious goal of achieving Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports to over 80 countries by 2029. This target represents a substantial 34 times increase from the Rs 686 crore recorded in the financial year 2014.