India Achieves Major Milestone in Missiles, Says Ex-DRDO Chief

India has cut by a huge scale the missile development cycle time from 10–12 years to 2–3 years, a giant leap in defence technology, stated Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, President, Aeronautical Society of India and ex-Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

“This transition places us shoulder to shoulder with nations such as the US, Russia, and China, though they are a decade or two ahead of us in some respects,” Dr. Reddy explained.

He also added that India is becoming a native missile power, openly creating hypersonic and air-to-ground missiles, such as the BrahMos. Also, the growing domestic drone ecosystem of 300–400 drone makers and almost 25,000 AI engineers in the south region alone is transforming the aerospace and defense industries.

Also Read: India Inaugurates BrahMos Missile Factory in Lucknow, Boosting Defense Capabilities

"India is no longer merely serving others. We are now willing to lead, export our technologies, and make the world use products manufactured in India," he added further.

Dr. Reddy spoke at the Kumaraguru Centre for Industrial Research & Innovation, and the Aeronautical Society of India conducted Academia-Industry Meet 2025 for Aerospace & Defence. Explaining major takeaways of Operation Sindoor, he said that the operation had imparted trust in indigenous defence strengths, boosted the morale of the country, encouraged local industry, and demonstrated the ability of India on the international front, which resulted in enhanced export opportunities.

The conference assembled defense, academic, and industry innovators to demonstrate the synergy of innovation and national security.