Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday underscored the need to develop indigenous defence technologies as IIT Kanpur announced plans to establish a major drone hub in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence to indigenise critical components currently imported from abroad, as the institute launched a USD 1 billion fundraising campaign to strengthen research and innovation.
Speaking at the launch of IIT Kanpur’s ‘Greater Than Us’ campaign at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Singh said India’s commitment to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ must extend beyond domestic production to developing the capacity to design, create and innovate, while the institute’s Director Manindra Agrawal told ANI in an exclusive interview that the proposed drone hub would focus on defence applications and reduce dependence on foreign components.
“Our commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat is central to this aspiration. Self-reliance is not merely about producing more within our borders; it is about developing the capacity to think, design, create and innovate,” Singh said.
He added that India must be an active contributor to the creation of knowledge and technology rather than merely a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.
Elaborating on IIT Kanpur’s defence research plans, Agrawal said drones have emerged as a crucial capability in contemporary warfare, highlighting the need to develop critical components domestically to ensure self-sufficiency.
“We have been working with the Ministry of Defence to set up a major drone hub at IIT Kanpur, which is focusing on defence applications”, he said.
“While we make drones, a lot of critical components that go towards making the drones are not made in India. They are imported. We want to nucleate initiatives to develop all those critical components within the country so that whenever the need arises, we are self-sufficient in producing the right set of drones that are required,” Agrawal told ANI.
Cybersecurity, stealth materials and quantum sensing
Beyond drones, the institute is working on several other defence technologies, including cybersecurity, stealth materials and quantum sensing, which could have applications in strengthening India’s military capabilities.
Agrawal said cybersecurity would be crucial to national defence in the future, while research into specialised stealth materials could support a range of defence applications.
The institute is also working on quantum sensing technologies, including quantum magnetometers, which could potentially detect submarine movements.
“In sensing, in the quantum sensing or quantum magnetometer, which can sense potentially even a submarine movement, that is something that today in the world, nobody has access to that kind of ability,” he said.
Rajnath Singh stresses collaboration on defence research
Meanwhile, at the event, Singh highlighted IIT Kanpur’s DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence as an example of collaboration between scientific research and defence requirements and said he was encouraged by the proposal to establish a School of Defence Technologies at the institute.
“Such initiatives can deepen collaboration between academic research and defence requirements, helping translate scientific advances into technologies of strategic importance,” he said.
The Defence Minister stressed that developing indigenous defence capabilities would require close collaboration among the Armed Forces, DRDO, academic institutions, defence public sector undertakings, private industry and startups.
“Our objective must be to create an ecosystem in which scientific talent, institutional expertise and the operational experience of our Armed Forces work together to develop indigenous capabilities,” Singh said.
He also highlighted the government’s approval of the Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme to catalyse private-sector investment in research and advanced technologies.
IIT Kanpur targets USD 1 billion in fundraising by March 2029
Speaking to ANI, Agrawal said IIT Kanpur had identified seven strategic areas for support through its fundraising campaign: artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, drones, medical technology, sustainable technologies, quantum technologies and semiconductors.
The funds would support existing research initiatives, expand their scope, attract talent and create the laboratories, facilities and other infrastructure needed to accelerate innovation, he said.
IIT Kanpur launched the ‘Greater Than Us’ campaign with a target of raising USD 1 billion by March 2029, making it the largest fundraising campaign undertaken by any IIT, according to the institute.
It said Rs 4,155 crore, nearly half of the target, had already been committed by alumni, donors, corporate partners and the government.
Published on October 15, 2026
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