Dhash Defense Systems indigenous all-terrain platforms invited for Army trials after North Tech showcase

Prayagraj: The Indian Army has invited the defense technology arm of the Dhash Group, Dhash Defense Systems, for user trials of its indigenous all-terrain mobility platforms after the companies participated in the North Tech Symposium 2026, which ended in Prayagraj on Wednesday, said the company.

Both platforms, the DHASH 4x4 4S (Four Seater All-Terrain Vehicle) and the DHASH 4x4 5S (Closed Cabin Five Seater) are part of the Ministry of Defence’s IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category, which is the top priority category of procurement under the Defence Acquisition Procedure.

The company will also conduct trials of the platforms at various operational theatre sites over the coming months, officials said. Those sites have not been revealed due to operational sensitivities.

The company said both platforms experienced strong interaction with Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth as they visited the symposium pavilions and also with high-ranking Army officials and officers of the Northern Command and Central Command, GOC-in-Cs, Lieutenant Generals Pratik Sharma and Anindya Sengupta, respectively. The vehicles were then demonstrated to the visiting leadership at the site.

The company additionally provided answers to problem statements that were circulated by the Army prior to the symposium, which represent issues and gaps with tactical mobility capabilities for the Northern and Central theatres.

On the sidelines of the event, Dhash Defense Systems entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar (IIT-R) for collaborative research and joint development of next generation mobility and defense technology platforms with the Defense Research and Innovation Foundation (DRIF). The company has said that their product portfolio goes beyond just these two vehicles showcased in Prayagraj and there are more indigenous mobility and combat systems in development with multiple industry collaborations with Indian manufacturing and academic ecosystems.

“Building defense capability for India is the most consequential contribution a manufacturing group can make to nation building. Our platforms at North Tech Symposium are entirely designed and developed in India, and they are our concrete commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Manjunath Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Dhash Defense Systems, said.

The company’s IDDM efforts received public recognition during the showcase, with a senior Army personnel felicitating the Dhash Defense Systems for indigenous design and development of the platforms.

The North Tech Symposium 2026, organised by the Indian Army’s Northern and Central Commands in collaboration with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) under the theme ‘Raksha Triveni Sangam: Where Technology, Industry and Soldiering Converge’, hosted 284 private defense manufacturers showcasing unmanned aerial systems, counter-UAV technology, all-terrain vehicles, surveillance equipment and tactical communication platforms. The event took place against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor anniversary, which both the Defence Minister and the Minister of State for Defence cited in their addresses as evidence of the operational efficacy of indigenous Indian weapons systems.

For Indian start-ups operating in the IDDM space, an Army invitation for user trials does not, by itself, constitute procurement. It does, however, represent the most credible early-stage validation an Indian defense start-up can secure, and typically positions a company for participation in subsequent Make-II and Army Technical Board Project engagements, which have driven a substantial share of India's recent indigenous defense procurement.