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A leading Indian defence technology company is urging the armed forces to adopt advanced "hard-kill" anti-drone systems, which physically destroy aerial threats, to counter a new generation of autonomous and jam-resistant drones.
Ashok Atluri, the head of Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies, stressed the necessity of these systems following recent border escalations that have tested India's air defence capabilities.
The call to action comes in the aftermath of recent India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025, where a large-scale drone incursion occurred along India's western border.
During the conflict, over 500 drones, including sophisticated Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models, were reportedly launched by Pakistan, targeting 36 Indian military and strategic locations.
The drones varied from simple quadcopters to armed Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), deployed in coordinated swarms to probe and overwhelm Indian defences.
While India's existing multi-layered defence network successfully neutralised all the incoming drones through a mix of electronic jamming (soft-kill) and physical interception (hard-kill), however the incident highlighted the challenges posed by large-scale, technologically advanced drone attacks.
In a recent discussion, Mr. Atluri pointed to the growing sophistication of hostile drones, which are increasingly pre-programmed for autonomous missions.
These drones can navigate to their targets without a live communication link, making them immune to traditional jamming techniques. "The Turkish Songar drones... are a wake-up call," Mr. Atluri stated. "India must prioritise hard-kill options to decisively neutralise such threats."
The Asisguard Songar is a quadrotor UCAV that can be armed with assault rifles or grenade launchers. Its use in the recent conflict underscores a tactical shift towards leveraging advanced, commercially available drone technology in modern warfare, prompting an urgent need for robust countermeasures.
In response to these emerging threats, Zen Technologies has developed a suite of indigenous counter-drone solutions.
At the Aero India 2025 exhibition, the company introduced Vyomkavach, an AI-powered system designed to provide a comprehensive aerial protection shield.
Vyomkavach integrates advanced sensors for detection, electronic jammers for soft-kill engagement, and kinetic interceptors to physically destroy drones that evade other measures, including swarms and larger UAVs like the Bayraktar TB2.
Further bolstering India's defence capabilities, the company successfully delivered its Zen Anti-Drone System with Hard-Kill (Zen ADS HK) to the Indian Army Air Defence College in Gopalpur, Odisha, in June 2024.
The system, valued at approximately ₹150 crore, combines radar and other detectors with a kinetic solution to shoot down hostile drones.
Mr. Atluri emphasised that the system has high indigenous content, aligning with the Government of India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) initiative, which aims to boost domestic defence manufacturing.
To provide a cost-effective solution against drone swarms, where using expensive missiles is impractical, Zen Technologies also showcased a four-barrel rotary machine gun.
Capable of firing up to 3,500 rounds per minute, with the flexibility to reduce the rate to 900 rounds to conserve ammunition, this weapon is designed for high-intensity combat and offers a powerful hard-kill option against massed drone attacks.
The company's focus on indigenous innovation is backed by a portfolio of 160 Indian and global patents.
