From Operation Sindoor to the drone factory: IAF Gallantry Awardee builds India’s next battlefield weapons

An Indian Air Force officer involved in unmanned operations during Operation Sindoor is now developing AI-powered drone interceptors and autonomous ground vehicles, as India accelerates efforts to build indigenous battlefield technologies.

Wing Commander Amandeep Singh Dihot, awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Sindoor, now heads private defence company Stellar Invictus. Speaking exclusively to WION's Defence Pulse, he explained how his experience operating fighter aircraft and unmanned systems is influencing the development of new military technologies.

Dihot identified a fundamental difference between piloting a fighter jet and operating an unmanned weapon. While fighter pilots make decisions within seconds using their immediate surroundings, drone operators depend heavily on data links, sensors and ground-control systems.

His company is developing Bhagat, an AI-powered kinetic drone interceptor designed to identify hostile drones, predict their flight paths and engage them.

Dihot believes future conflicts could be decided by how quickly militaries manufacture and replenish interceptors, particularly when confronting large numbers of inexpensive attack drones.

"The one who is able to scale up the production of interceptors is actually going to make the difference in the coming conflicts," he said.

Another major challenge is electronic warfare. Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Dihot warned that satellite navigation and communication links could become early casualties of future wars.

He highlighted fibre-optic communications, alternative navigation technologies and skilled human operators as important elements of operating in GPS-denied environments.

Stellar Invictus is also developing Bhedak, an autonomous unmanned ground vehicle incorporating AI-assisted navigation and obstacle avoidance. According to Dihot, the platform is being designed to detect mines, identify safer routes for soldiers and undertake mine-laying missions.

He also anticipates a future battlefield where unmanned vehicles deploy drone interceptors, directed-energy weapons and microwave-based counter-drone systems.

For India, the next frontier is building indigenous, affordable and scalable autonomous systems that can adapt as quickly as the battlefield itself.