From Chennai to the Frontlines, Zuppa Drones to Secure India’s Borders
Hope was rekindled across the subcontinent when the Indian government confirmed on May 10 that Pakistan had initiated contact for dialogue, culminating in a direct ceasefire agreement between the two nations. This diplomatic shift was preceded by the decisive and carefully executed Operation Sindoor, India’s bold military retaliation launched on May 7. Operation Sindoor was a demonstration of modern warfare—a carefully planned offensive that targeted terror infrastructure located deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). As per multiple reports and media briefings, drones took the centre stage in the cross-border operations between India and Pakistan. India is reported to have deployed IAI Harop drones during Operation Sindoor. These Israeli-made loitering munitions blend the endurance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with the precision of missiles. Capable of loitering for up to nine hours over a 200 km range, these kamikaze drones use electro-optical sensors to hunt and destroy high-value targets. On the other hand, the Indian government on May 9 reportedly confirmed that Pakistan had launched 300-400 drones across the western border—likely Songar drones developed by Turkish-origin Asisguard. Notably, many of these were intercepted and shot down by Indian air defences. The Cost Factor One key reason for the extensive use of drones in the recent operation is their cost-effectiveness. However, one of the most critical contemporary challenges we face today is Pakistan’s deployment of swarm drones. In an interview with AIM, Sai Pattabiram, managing director at Zuppa Geo Nav Tech, said, “At present, we’re largely countering them with either gunfire or missile systems.” This approach, however, is not economically sustainable in the long run. When hundreds of drones—sometimes 300 to 400—are launched in a swarm, it’s nearly impossible to shoot all of them down. The bigger concern, he added, is the asymmetry in cost—high-value missiles are often used to neutralise relatively inexpensive drones. “A missile may cost upwards of ₹100 crore, while the drone it’s targeting might be worth just ₹20 lakh. That’s the kind of economic imbalance we’re dealing with.” The drones may be of limited capabilities, but they are used for targeted purposes. In fact, between September 2022 and December 2024, Russia reportedly launched over 19,000 missiles at Ukraine, including more than 14,700 Shahed one-way attack drones—Iranian-made systems modified with advanced guidance and countermeasures. With a 2,000-kilometre range, 40-kilogram payload, and a modest price tag of around $35,000, Shahed drones have become Russia’s most cost-effective strike weapon, as the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reported. India does not have an equivalent to Shahed loitering munition in terms of range, payload, and cost, but several indigenous systems are in development. As Pattabiram said, the drones that carried out the strikes in the recent operation were part of what’s known as loitering munitions, manufactured in Bengaluru by Alpha Design in collaboration with Elbit Systems from Israel. The CSIS report noted that despite a hit rate of less than 10%, the low cost of these drones allowed Russia to sustain relentless waves of strikes, overwhelming Ukrainian defences and sustaining a war of attrition that drains resources while spreading fear across civilian areas. Chinese Components in India’s Defence Drones Pattabiram further clarified that, structurally, most drones are virtually identical to regular aircraft, with the primary difference being that they replace the human pilot with an electronic printed circuit board (PCB). When discussing the use of drones in defence, he pointed out that their effectiveness depends mainly on their application. However, he stressed that internal technology, both the hardware and cybersecurity, is equally critical. He went on to reveal that, until recently, the Indian Army was unaware of just how extensively Chinese components had made their way into Indian defence drones, raising serious concerns about potential vulnerabilities. “After a couple of hackings of the drones by both Pakistanis and the Chinese, the Indian Army realised that cyber security is an important factor,” Pattabiram added. Over the past six months, his company has worked closely with the Indian Army as an industry partner to address this vulnerability. He emphasised that Zuppa is an Indian company with a complete cyber-physical stack. The company’s firmware is based on patented technology granted by the Indian Patent Office on April 10, 2024. Drones, AI and Beyond Pattabiram revealed that the company has not only developed drones but is also actively supplying them to the Indian Army and paramilitary forces for surveillance and related operations. However, he did mention that their drones haven’t been used in the recent operation, while talks are underway with the government for future deployment. He referred to a specific model called the Ajeet Mini, which is the only completely secure Indian micro-category drone that has been flown at the Eastern Command in Amritsar. “They have a much shorter range of three to five kilometres,” he further explained. Pattabiram also elaborated on the additional layers of artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into their drone systems, going well beyond the basic autopilot functionality. “Over and above that, we also have other layers of AI that operate, which involves what you would call a swarming capability—multiple drones working together,” he said. Zuppa is introducing more advanced AI functions such as target tracking, target identification and action. “This means, if I train the drone in a particular enemy shape, it will automatically attack that enemy shape the moment it sees it in its camera,” Pattabiram explained. When asked about the company’s association with the Indian Army and whether its drones had been used in Arunachal Pradesh, he clarified, “It was a demonstration to prove that a small 2 kg drone, with a flight time of 25 minutes, can fly at an altitude over 3,000 metres above sea level in Arunachal Pradesh and can be used by the Army.” When asked about the overall deployment numbers, he revealed, “We have sold nearly 150 drones to armed forces, paramilitary, and police.” Moreover, explaining the company’s direct-to-unit sales strategy and cost positioning, he added, “We normally sell them directly to the unit because our prices are very competitive with respect to Chinese.”When asked whether their production aligned with the Make in India initiative, he said, “About 80% Zuppa drones are indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured in India (IDDM).”
Until recently, the Indian Army was unaware of just how extensively Chinese components had made their way into Indian defence drones.
Until recently, the Indian Army was unaware of just how extensively Chinese components had made their way into Indian defence drones.
["AI in defence", "drones"]
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["AI", "artificial intelligence", "Aim", "R", "Go", "programming_languages:R", "programming_languages:Go"]
Shalini is a senior tech journalist, exploring the latest advancements in AI. When she's not reporting on the latest innovations, you can find her immersed in her next literary adventure.