Ashok Atluri founded Zen Technologies in 1993, bootstrapping from Hyderabad at a time when India was importing 70% of its defence equipment and private players contributed just 5% of procurements. It took Zen five years to win its first contract from the Indian Army in 1998.

Today, the company builds simulators and anti-drone systems, and has grown its market cap from ₹40 crore to over ₹13,000 crore.

Ashok shares that India needs to make it easier for private, self-funded R&D companies to succeed in defense tech and why the focus should be in building technology with India’s own IP. We also discuss the policy shifts he has seen in India’s defense tech over the last 32 years, and how policies like IDDM and Make-II have reshaped India’s defense manufacturing.

This is an episode with a founder who has spent over three decades turning India’s defence technology from an import-dependent sector into one that can build defense tech with its own IP.

0:00  – Trailer  
1:18  – Why entering defense tech must be easier  
8:48  – Building simulators for the army  
10:53 – Zen’s entry into anti-drone systems  
12:26 – 400x growth in 12 years  
13:41 – Policy shifts in defense tech  
15:42 – How Indian-owned IP can transform defense?  
19:24 – How big is India’s defense simulations market?  
22:06 – From ₹60 Cr to ₹930 Cr in 4 years  
25:27 – How are simulations built for future weapons?  
29:15 – India’s defense budget (foreign tech vs. local tech)  
30:23 – The entry barriers in the 1990s and even today  
31:43 – Is doing business with the government harder for some sectors?  
36:06 – Surviving 32 years being financially conservative  
37:29 – How Indian government is pushing exports in defense tech  
40:35 – Zen’s anti-drone systems used in Operation Sindhoor  
42:31 – Will there be an India–China conflict?  
43:15 – Where does China stand in defense tech?  
44:08 – How India should back its wealth creators  
49:12 – Policies that are enabling Indian defence companies today  
49:37 – Parrikar’s influence on private sector role in defense tech
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Connect with Siddhartha on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/
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This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.

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