Bhaskar Interview:Indian company making weaponized dog robots after ‘Nagastra’ used in Operation Sindoor

During Operation Sindoor, the indigenous weaponized drone ‘Nagastra’ that foiled the enemy’s conspiracy was manufactured by Solar Industries India Limited. Now this company is also making weaponized dog robots and humanoid robots that look like humans. Company founder and chairman Padma Shri Satyanarayan Nuwal told ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ that for the country’s security, these robots can be deployed even in temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius. The company is also working on indigenous projects like ‘Bhargavastra’, an anti-drone system based on micro missiles. Read the full interview: Question: Your Nagastra and loitering munition were used in Operation Sindoor, can you tell us something about this? Answer: The use of drones in the 2020 Azerbaijan and Armenia war completely changed the nature of traditional warfare. A completely new form of weaponry came before the world. We also decided to build Unmanned Aerial Systems after 2020. After three years of hard work, we built the country’s first weaponized drone ‘Nagastra-1’, which was supplied to our army. I consider its precise use in ‘Operation Sindoor’ to be purely divine grace. Nagastra-1 has a range of 15 kilometers. After this, we have prepared other variants including Nagastra-1A, Nagastra-1B and Nagastra-2. These are also called ‘Kamikaze Drones’ or ‘Suicide Drones’. It can loiter over the target for a long time, detect enemies and upon receiving precise signals, can attack by directly crashing into it with an explosive warhead. We have also started supplying these to the army. Their range is 25 to 50 kilometers and they can carry explosives weighing 1 to 5 kilograms. Question: Has swarm technology been used in these drones? Answer: Swarm drones are still under development. During Operation Sindoor, our larger drones were used to counter the small drones coming from the other side. After that, we have developed ‘Bhargavastra’ based on micro missiles as a counter drone system. It can see up to 10 kilometers and has the capability to shoot down any external drone or UAV coming within a range of 2.5 kilometers. Its trial testing has been completed at different ranges. Swarm drones are a network of small and autonomous drones that work together with the help of AI and advanced software algorithms. Due to being in a swarm, they target hundreds of enemy air defense systems, radars or bases at the same time. Different drones in this swarm can be assigned different tasks; such as some do reconnaissance, some do electronic jamming, while some directly attack. Question: Are you now also manufacturing ‘BrahMos’ domestically, what development has taken place in this? Answer: Until a year ago, the booster and rocket system of BrahMos were being imported from Russia. We have developed it here with the cooperation of DRDO. Russian scientists also came here. They had to stay here for five days to see the arrangements. But, on the very first day in the evening, they approved our system. Now we have prepared 100 rockets; apart from this, we have also made its warhead. Currently, their testing is ongoing. Question: The use of AI and robotics has increased worldwide, are we prepared? Answer: After the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, unmanned aerial systems and long-range missiles have been used most extensively in the Russia-Ukraine and Iran-Israel wars. In the coming times, the importance of AI and robots will increase further. Accuracy and cost-effectiveness are most important in this. Many steps have been taken in this direction in the Defense Procurement Policy 2026. I can only say that we are moving forward in the right direction. Question: What work is being done at your end regarding AI and robots? Answer: We have done quite a lot of work and are continuing to do so. We have received the possession letter for MIHAN SEZ in Nagpur. We are waiting for some approvals, which will be received in two-three months. We will start our work in three-four months. Today our soldiers have to be deployed in temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius (?40?C). To further improve surveillance and security, we will build the country’s first weaponized robot within a year. We are making a prototype of a dog robot. After that, in two-three months, we will prepare a humanoid (human-like robot). Question: Are you working on rocket technology besides Pinaka? Answer: It is not possible to tell this. The Pinaka rocket that we are building can currently strike up to a distance of 75 kilometers. We have given a proposal to the army to increase its range to 300 kilometers. We are fully confident that we will achieve success in this soon as well. Our discussions with the Indian Army and the Central Government are ongoing. Question: What is our current level of self-reliance in ammunition? Answer: In terms of high energy materials and propellants, we are at par with global levels. The material that was 100% imported earlier, today we are exporting more than 70% of that material to countries like the US, Israel, Germany and France. Question: Work is progressing rapidly on the Ahilyanagar-Sambhajinagar Defense Corridor in Maharashtra, what is your opinion on this? Answer: If anyone is the most practical and aggressive regarding the Defense Corridor, it is the Maharashtra government. The way the Defense Corridor work is progressing in a systematic manner, I have no doubt that the Defense Corridor here will be the most successful. Maharashtra benefits from its geographical location, which is most important for the defense sector. Secondly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s visionary policy is taking it forward rapidly. I certainly feel that among all the Defense Corridors that came five-seven years ago or are coming now, Maharashtra’s Defense Corridor will progress very rapidly. Question: Has there been a change in the ‘Indigenous versus Imported’ mindset in India? Answer: Due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, there has been a major change in the government’s thinking over the past few years. The policy has been made very well. However, the system that implements the policy still needs a lot of work. Just having good policies won’t work; rather, it is necessary to have a strong accountability and monitoring system. In terms of technology, small countries like Poland, Sweden, Denmark, and France are ahead of us. More than 50 percent of the people working there are Indians themselves. The opportunities that should have been available here did not materialize due to certain reasons. Question: How was the journey from obtaining an explosive license in Chandrapur to receiving the Padma Shri? Answer: I started my business at the age of 17. I was born in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, from where I came to Ballarshah. I struggled there for two years as well. When things didn’t work out, I moved to Chandrapur. In Chandrapur, there was a gentleman named Abdul Sattar Allah Bhai who had an explosives magazine (license). I rented that magazine from him and started my career. In 1984, the world’s largest company ‘ICI’ made us their distributor, and by 1994 we had become the country’s largest trading house. In 1995-96, we started explosives manufacturing on a small scale, and by 2004 we became the country’s largest producer and exporter. In 2010, we decided that we should enter the defense sector. In 2014, the BJP government made provisions to grant complete ammunition licenses to the private sector. In 2015, we received this license. In our country, for 100 years there were only ordnance factories or we used to import, it is necessary to become self-reliant in this. With this thinking, we entered this sector.