Pune, Aug 9 (PTI) Operation Sindoor was a "declaration" of India's ability to stand tall through self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir Kamat said on Saturday.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) here, Kamat said the highly coordinated, multi-dimensional operation along the western borders highlighted not just the courage of the soldiers, but also the technological backbone that supported them.

After Operation Sindoor's success, he expects India's defence exports to double in the next two to three years, he said.

"Operation Sindoor was more than a mission. It was a declaration of India's ability to stand tall through self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength. It was a statement to the world that India has the capability to protect its borders through homegrown technology," the DRDO chief said.

From sensors, unmanned platforms and secure communications to AI-based decision support systems and precision weapons, indigenous platforms played a key role in the operation, he said.

The systems deployed for the operation included Akash surface-to-air missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, the D4 anti-drone system, the AWNC airborne early warning and control system and the Akashteer system, all developed by India's defence R&D ecosystem.

Institutions such as the DIAT played a crucial role in these developments, Kamat noted.

The Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor against terrorist targets in Pakistan on May 7, following the Pahalgam attack of April 22, 2025, in which 26 people were killed.

He further said it is the next generation's job to keep this momentum going and make India a technology leader in defence technologies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a clarion call that by 2047, India should become both a developed nation and a technology leader, he said.

"We are now entering an era where the definition of warfare is rapidly expanding. Battles are no longer confined to borders or front lines. They are fought across domains -- land, air, sea, space, cyberspace, and even the electromagnetic spectrum. What does this mean for the graduating students of DIAT? It means you are no longer students of a conventional academic discipline. You are now part of India's defence capability architecture," Kamat said.

Their knowledge in quantum technologies, cybersecurity, robotics, materials engineering, missile systems, missile propulsion, and artificial intelligence has direct implications for national defence, he told the graduating DIAT students.

"You are not generalists. You are specialists trained at the intersection of science and defence technologies. Few institutions globally possess such clarity of purpose, and fewer still match the urgency and national significance of your work. As the world becomes more geopolitically unstable and as technology rapidly transforms the nature of both threats and opportunities, the burden and privilege of responsibility will fall on you," he said.

Speaking to reporters later, Kamat said among offensive weapons, BrahMos, used from Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, was the primary weapon during Operation Sindoor.

"When it comes to defensive weapon systems, the Akash system, the D4 anti-drone system, and the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) were used. All the sensors we deployed were networked with Akashteer, an AI-based system, which helped identify threats and then deploy the right kind of weapon to neutralise them," he said.

Radars used by the Indian armed forces performed exceedingly well, Kamat noted.

Given the current geopolitical situation, it is absolutely essential to have our own capabilities, and only then the country can take sovereign decisions, said the DRDO chief.

"It is essential that in all critical weapon systems and technologies, we should have indigenous capabilities," he said.

Asked about the increase in defence exports post Operation Sindoor, Kamat said last year India achieved about Rs 23,000 crore in defence exports.

"Post the success of Operation Sindoor, I expect these exports to double in the next two to three years. We should achieve Rs 50,000 crore by 2029, which is the target set for us by the Defence Minister. There is a lot of interest in Pinaka, ATAGS, BrahMos, and Akash. I am sure that in the coming years, defence exports will increase manifold," he said.

Countries from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa are importing arms from India, Kamat said.

On the BrahMos-NG (Next Generation), he said it is a smaller version of BrahMos that can be fitted on multiple platforms.

"Currently, BrahMos can be fitted only on the Sukhoi platform, but if we make it smaller, it can fit on other platforms as well. We are planning to start the development of BrahMos-NG soon," he said.

During the convocation ceremony, degrees were awarded to 298 students including 206 MTech students, 68 MSc and 24 PhD students from various disciplines. A total of 18 gold medals were awarded to students. PTI SPK ARU KRK