India’s indigenous defence technology ecosystem is increasingly being shaped by scientist-entrepreneurs who have transitioned from government R&D to high-impact start-ups. Unistring Tech Solutions (UTS), a subsidiary of Zen Technologies, Hyderabad – a compelling example led by two former DRDO scientists as Founders, Dr. Nagendra Babu Samineni Ex – DRDL, DRDO Scientist and Mr. K Srinivasa Raju Ex-DLRL, DRDO Scientist – has carved a niche in Electronic Warfare (EW), and RADAR, simulators, and Counter-UAS (CUAS) solutions. UTS provided critical indigenous counter-drone (C-UAS) technologies that significantly enhanced India’s defence during Operation Sindoor.
What inspired UTS’ focus in Electronic Warfare systems and RADAR, and how do you see the future unfolding?
Our inspiration comes from operational realities witnessed by us during our stint at DRDO. The electromagnetic spectrum has become a battlefield in its own right. Electronic Warfare and sensing are today decisive enablers across land, air, and maritime domains.
The future will be software-defined, cognitive, and networked. EW systems will increasingly fuse spectrum awareness, AI-assisted signal intelligence, and adaptive countermeasures. RADAR, passive sensors, and EW assets will operate collaboratively rather than in isolation. At UTS, we are building modular, upgradeable, and indigenously maintainable systems, ensuring relevance and technological sovereignty over long service lives.
How do you leverage your DRDO experience to drive innovation in indigenous defence technology?
DRDO instills three enduring strengths in systemic thinking encompassing designing for reliability, scalability, and harsh operational environments; Mission orientation where technology must perform when it matters most and forging collaboration culture where industry, academia, and user agencies are progressing together.
At UTS, these principles help us shorten the lab-to-field cycle. It allows us to better understand user expectations, certification pathways, and lifecycle support requirements for innovating confidently while remaining aligned with service doctrines and deployment realities.
How is UTS contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat, and what is your vision for self-reliance in Electronic Warfare?
Atmanirbharta in EW is not about local assembly, but about ownership of IP, algorithms, and source code. UTS contributes by developing indigenous signal-processing chains and threat libraries, designing hardware and software-co-developed systems that are free from export controls and building local supplier ecosystems across RF, embedded systems, and power electronics.
Our vision is clear: India must move from import substitution to global leadership in EW and Counter-UAS-- exporting trusted, combat-proven solutions to friendly nations.
Your work in spectrum awareness and simulators is considered cutting-edge. Can you explain how this strengthens India’s defence capability?
Spectrum awareness is the foundation of modern EW and Counter-UAS operations. Our platforms enable real-time detection, classification, and geo-location of emitters, including low-probability-of-intercept signals commonly used by drones and modern tactical radios.
We are also integrating RADAR systems—both active and passive—with EW sensors, enabling multi-sensor correlation for swift and reliable threat identification. In parallel, our EW and CUAS simulators allow operators to train against realistic, evolving threat environments without depending on foreign tools.
These capabilities strengthen India’s defence posture by improving situational awareness, response speed, and decision-making, while also supporting training, doctrine development, and system validation under indigenous control.
What are the challenges encountered in pushing indigenous technology boundaries, and how do you overcome them?
The primary challenges include bridging the gap between R&D timelines and urgent operational needs, scaling prototypes into production while meeting stringent military standards, and building user confidence in new indigenous solutions.
We address these through continuous user engagement, iterative trials, transparent performance metrics, and phased induction. Strong mentorship from Zen Technologies’ leadership, close association with DRDO scientists, and structured industry collaboration have been critical success enablers. Policy support encouraging start-ups, MSMEs, and DRDO–industry partnerships has acted as a force multiplier.
Looking ahead, how will UTS shape defence technology in India and globally, and your advise to young Indians entering this field?
UTS aims to evolve into a global EW and Counter-UAS solutions provider, serving India’s national security needs while supporting friendly foreign nations seeking reliable, non-restricted systems. Our roadmap includes AI-enabled EW, autonomous Counter-UAS responses, and integrated training ecosystems.
To young Indians aspiring to venture into defence technology, our advise is that they build strong fundamentals in electronics, RF, software, and AI, understand operations—not just technology, and be patient because defence innovation is a marathon, not a sprint.
How do larger defence players like Zen Technologies strengthen UTS’s journey?
Partnership with established players like Zen Technologies provides strategic depth-ranging from mentorship and system integration expertise to access to user feedback and deployment experience.
Such collaboration accelerates innovation and provides financial support while ensuring operational relevance, scalability, and compliance with defence procurement frameworks.
It exemplifies how start-ups and large defence primes can co-create national capability.