‘Speed of adaptation is the new battlefield’: IdeaForge CEO Ankit Mehta on India’s drone edge at WION World Pulse

Speaking at the WION World Pulse summit on Wednesday (Mar 18), Ankit Mehta, Co-founder and CEO of ideaForge, underscored the growing role of India’s private sector in strengthening national security, particularly in the unmanned and drone ecosystems.
As warfare rapidly shifts towards technology-led combat, Mehta highlighted how adaptability, indigenous innovation and low-cost systems are becoming central to modern military strategy.

‘War is now software-defined’: Why adaptability matters

Mehta stressed that one of the biggest changes in warfare today is the speed at which tactics evolve.

“One of the realities of war is that the speed of adaptation on ground is changing rapidly.. most of the war is becoming software-defined, and tactics are changing very, very fast,” he said.

Mehta explained that adversaries are constantly developing countermeasures and counter-countermeasures, making it critical for systems to evolve in real time.

According to him, this is where domestic capability becomes crucial, allowing faster upgrades and battlefield responsiveness.

Private sector’s role in India’s defence push

Highlighting the transformation in India’s defence ecosystem, Mehta said private players like ideaForge have been building indigenous systems for nearly two decades.
“Each and every subsystem that goes into our platforms is actually designed and developed in the country.”

He added that this approach reduces dependence on foreign technologies and ensures strategic autonomy, especially during conflict situations where supply chains may be disrupted or denied.
“Otherwise we won’t be able to sustain our strategic autonomy.”

Lessons from conflict: No assumptions in modern warfare

Drawing from recent operational experiences, Mehta pointed out that old assumptions about threats no longer hold true.

“Any assumptions that we previously had… were thrown out of the window.”

He noted that threats are no longer limited to low-cost commercial drones, with more advanced systems being deployed using varied frequencies and technologies. This, he said, makes early detection and wideband monitoring capabilities critical for modern defence systems.

Future battlefield: Resilience, upgrades and low-cost systems

Mehta emphasised three key requirements for future military systems:

Resilience to electronic warfare

Ability to operate in denied environments (GPS, communication disruptions)

Continuous upgradability

“Unless you have that upgradability, you will not be able to use an asset… you become obsolete very fast.”

He also pointed to a major strategic shift towards low-cost, expendable systems.

“We will probably pivot extremely towards low-cost, attainable systems… to destroy the adversary’s high-tech assets.”

India’s unique advantage: Extreme terrain capability

Positioning India on the global stage, Mehta said the country’s biggest strength lies in designing systems for extreme and diverse environments. From high-altitude Himalayan regions (-30 to -40°C) to deserts and maritime zones, Indian systems must operate across unmatched conditions.

“No country has the kind of topographic diversity that we have… and when we demonstrate globally, it shows up very effectively.”

He added that Indian platforms are able to deliver up to 90 per cent of their capability even in extreme environments, giving them a competitive edge internationally.

The big picture: India’s defence tech moment

Mehta concluded that India is entering a phase where young companies and indigenous innovation will play a defining role in defence.

“We are bringing in that ability right from the ground up in the country… and that pace is going to accelerate.”