By N. C. Bipindra

New Delhi/Hyderabad (Telangana): India’s defence firm Zen Technologies chairman & managing director Ashok Atluri, in an exclusive conversation with Defence Capital, laid out an aggressive multi-year roadmap built on indigenous Intellectual Property (IP), global expansion, and deep integration of unmanned and counter-drone capabilities.

With foreign COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) systems posing the biggest risk to India’s Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) defence ambitions, Atluri explained how Zen Technologies plans to stay ahead through Research & Development dominance and user-driven innovation.

INR 6,000 crore in three years with 35% margins: Anti-drone push leads the charge

Atluri revealed Zen Technologies’ most ambitious target yet: INR 6,000 crore in cumulative consolidated revenue over the next three years with 35% operational EBITDA margins.

A staggering 35% to 40% of this will come from anti-drone systems, loitering munitions, and UAV technologies, areas witnessing explosive global demand.

“These are the technologies that will define modern battlefields,” Atluri said, noting that Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) and autonomous warfare solutions are now front and centre for armed forces worldwide.

TISA Aerospace acquisition: Zen’s path to becoming a full-spectrum unmanned systems integrator

Zen Technologies’ recent acquisition of TISA Aerospace marks a strategic leap, accelerating its transformation into a complete force-readiness and unmanned-systems integrator.

“TISA will continue independently as a specialist UAV systems developer,” Atluri clarified. “Zen Technologies will integrate TISA’s UAVs with our C-UAS stack and simulation systems, creating a comprehensive ecosystem for future warfare.”

A deep IP moat: 210 patents, 90+ products, and an innovation-led factory

Zen Technologies has built one of India’s strongest defence IP portfolios:

• 210 patents
• 58 design registrations
• 190+ trademarks
• 90+ developed and commercialised systems

Its Hyderabad manufacturing hub, Atluri noted, is “a fusion of precision engineering, AI, and real-time analytics” enabling rapid innovation and customisation.

Zen Technologies will continue to invest heavily in Indian-owned IP to maintain technological independence.

Exports from 60+ nations to 25% to 30% revenue share

Zen Technologies’ products are already operational in over 60 countries, cementing its status as a global ambassador of Indian defence technology.

New export campaigns are underway in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

“Our goal is to make exports 25% to 30% of consolidated revenues within three years,” Atluri said.

User-driven innovation: Counter-drone system evolved through battlefield feedback

Operational feedback from India’s armed forces is a major driver of Zen Technologies’ R&D pipeline.

“One recent example is our combat-proven counter-drone system,” Atluri explained. User inputs led to upgrades, including enhanced Artificial Intelligence classification, superior signal processing, and multiple neutralisation options integrated into a more capable command console.

Competition, differentiators & the self-reliance edge

Atluri emphasised Zen Technologies’ unique position, a listed Indian defence-tech firm born from a small Hyderabad engineering team, now exporting worldwide.

The differentiators:

• Massive IP base
• Advanced manufacturing + AI-driven engineering
• Rapid product customisation
• Global presence in 60+ countries
• Proven combat-ready systems

“We are fiercely independent and proudly Atmanirbhar (self-reliant),” he underlined.

Key headlines for investors, armed forces, and Zen’s biggest risk

For Investors: Zen is building indigenous defence technologies that strengthen India’s security and cement its position as a global innovation leader.

For the Armed Forces: True Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) lies not just in hardware but also in mastering the technologies and software that power modern warfare.

Biggest Execution Risk: Foreign COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) traps, which may weaken India’s long-term defence autonomy.

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