• Inside Navyug Defence’s Mission-Critical Systems for the Indian Army
  • From Tanks to Tactical Simulators: Application Over Platforms
  • iDEX Winner Navyug Defence Showcases Next-Gen Combat Solutions at Dubai Airshow

By Sangeeta Saxena

Dubai. 01 December 2025. At the Dubai Airshow, India’s defence innovation ecosystem is drawing global attention, particularly in the Inspiration Zone where select Indian startups are showcasing cutting-edge technologies. Among them is Navyug Defence, an iDEX-winning company focused on advanced battlefield awareness, robotics-enabled vision systems, and tactical simulation solutions.

In this conversation with ADU, Sanjeev Kumar, CTO & Co-Founder, Navyug Defence, explains the technologies being showcased, their induction into the Indian Army, and how Navyug is building future-ready combat solutions by focusing on applications rather than platforms.

ADU. As an iDEX winner, what are you presenting here today?

Sanjeev Kumar. We are showcasing multiple products, but the most interesting one is Friend or Foe, which addresses a critical battlefield challenge. This system alerts a tank gunner if he is about to fire on a friendly target. The alert is visual, haptic, and audio-based, ensuring immediate situational awareness. This system is now being inducted into the Indian Army, and within about a month we expect to have the final induction completed.

ADU. That sounds extremely relevant for modern combat environments. What else are you showcasing?

Sanjeev Kumar. The second major product is a vision platform integrated onto a quadruped robot, which will be deployed at the Bhatinda refinery. We already have an order for this system. Our focus here is not on building the robot itself but on the application layer—vision, sensing, networking, and intelligence.

ADU. So you are not developing the robotics platform in-house?

Sanjeev Kumar. Correct. We consciously decided not to develop the robotic platform because there are very advanced global players already doing that extremely well. Instead, we focus on the application intelligence that sits on top of these platforms.

ADU. The current quadruped you mentioned is of Chinese origin. How does that align with defence requirements?

Sanjeev Kumar. This particular deployment is strictly for the refinery and is a test configuration. For defence applications, we will move to ANYmal  X, which is a Swiss-based platform. Defence will obviously not accept a Chinese-origin system. Even for the refinery use case, we are stripping out the original operating system and networking stack and replacing it entirely with our own secure architecture.

ADU. That clarifies the security aspect well. Are there aerial platforms as well?

Sanjeev Kumar. Yes. We have an airborne system with an endurance of up to 12 hours, operational range of 7 kilometres, and payload capacity between 10 to 15 kg. By modifying the engine configuration, we can increase payload capacity up to 50 kg, without changing the airframe itself. This modularity gives us flexibility across missions.

ADU. You also mentioned simulation and training solutions. Could you elaborate?

Sanjeev Kumar. Certainly. One of our key products is a tactical engagement simulator that can be mounted on small arms—rifles or pistols—allowing soldiers to train realistically without live ammunition. When this system is integrated with our situational awareness tools, it enables troop-level battlefield awareness.

We are also working on a GIS-based simulation project for WARDEC. When all these systems are merged, they form the foundation of a comprehensive battle management system, which is the direction we are heading in.

ADU. Where is Navyug Defence based, and what is your operational footprint?

Sanjeev Kumar. We are based in Noida. Many of our systems are already in service with the Indian Army. For instance, one of our ground robotic systems has been supplied to the Army since 2015. The Frendo system is now entering induction, where we are currently the single vendor, having won the competitive evaluation process.

ADU. Do you have systems currently deployed with the Air Force or Navy?

Sanjeev Kumar. Not at the moment. However, we are working on integrating our systems with avionic IFS, which will eventually provide a comprehensive battlefield picture across domains.

ADU. Finally, how has the response been for you at the Dubai Airshow?

Sanjeev Kumar. Footfall in this zone has been relatively limited, but the quality of interactions has been excellent. This is a very specialised domain. People who do stop by understand the operational relevance immediately, and that makes the engagement worthwhile.

Navyug Defence exemplifies India’s shift from platform-centric development to application-driven defence innovation. By focusing on fratricide prevention, battlefield awareness, robotics-enabled vision, and advanced simulation, the company is delivering practical, deployable solutions already being inducted into the Indian Army. As India strengthens its defence technology ecosystem, Navyug’s approach—secure, modular, and mission-focused—positions it as a key contributor to future integrated battle management systems.

As told to Sangeeta Saxena / Interview was taken at Dubai Airshow 2025