India wants to become a defence superpower. But how can that happen when we still depend heavily on foreign technology, engines, sensors and weapons?
In this conversation, Roshan Cariappa sits down with Vivek Krishnan, CEO & Co-Founder of SSS Defence, and Dinesh Shivanna, Co-Founder & CTO of SSS Defence, to unpack one of India's biggest strategic challenges: building a genuinely self-reliant defence industry.
Why does India still import so much of its military equipment? Why have we struggled to build indigenous engines? Why isn't simply having more defence startups enough? And what has the Indian Navy done differently when it comes to building capability?
Vivek and Dinesh argue that becoming Atmanirbhar in defence requires much more than assembling imported components. India needs long-term investment in R&D, engineering talent, domestic supply chains, sensors, engines and manufacturing capability — even if some of those bets fail.
This is a blunt conversation about what it will actually take to build India's military-industrial complex.
⏱️ CHAPTERS
(00:00) - Why Does India Import Most of Its Weapons?
(00:20) - The Cost of Buying Foreign Weapons vs Building at Home
(01:25) - India’s Missing Engine Ecosystem
(02:14) - Why India Must Start Building Even Small Engines
(03:38) - Why Defence Startups Alone Cannot Solve the Problem
(04:20) - The Danger of Depending on Foreign Sensors & Components
(04:58) - What Happens When Foreign Supply Chains Are Cut?
(05:18) - Why Government + Industry Must Think Long-Term
(06:20) - Why India Must Be Ready for War
(07:15) - Defence R&D Requires Failure
(08:35) - Why the Indian Navy Has Done Better
(09:15) - The Talent India Needs to Bring Back
(10:06) - Where India’s Defence Procurement Goes Wrong
(11:03) - When Indian Radar and Missiles Don't Even Talk to Each Other
(12:23) - The Mindset Problem: Why Foreign Weapons Were Trusted More
(13:27) - Why Defence Trials Take Years
(15:16) - How Procurement Can Become Faster
(16:00) - The Cost of Living With Foreign Weapons
(17:10) - Should Indian Defence Companies Get Priority?
(18:45) - What “Atmanirbhar Bharat” Should Actually Mean
(20:13) - What India Can Learn From the Navy
(22:21) - What India Can Learn From Israel
(23:35) - Israel’s Defence-Tech Ecosystem
(24:53) - A Call to Indian Engineers
(25:34) - “You Need to Be at War to Be at Peace”
🎙️ GUESTS
Vivek Krishnan — CEO & Co-Founder, SSS Defence
Dinesh Shivanna — Co-Founder & CTO, SSS Defence
SSS Defence is an Indian defence OEM established in 2017, focused on designing, developing and manufacturing small arms, precision weapon systems and other defence technologies in India.
🎙️ HOST
Roshan Cariappa — Bharatvaarta
▶️ WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION:
[ https://youtu.be/0IsnmQMnvrE ]
The full episode goes deeper into India's defence imports, military-industrial complex, defence startups, engines, sensors, drones, procurement, Israel, indigenous weapons and the path to genuine defence self-reliance.
#India #Defence #DefenceTechnology #IndianDefence #AtmanirbharBharat #MakeInIndia #Military #DefenceIndustry #Bharatvaarta #airforce #Indiannavy
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