In this deep and brutally honest conversation, Vivek Krishnan and Dinesh Shivanna break down the hard truths behind India’s military industrial base: our dependence on imports, the missing engine ecosystem, bureaucratic bottlenecks, the myth of “cheap India”, and why wars of the future will be won by countries that control core technologies, not just assembly lines.

From sensors, drones, radars, engines and counter-drone warfare — to the mindset shift required across startups, government, and the armed forces — this episode explains exactly what India must do to build real capability, speed, and self-reliance.

Not theory.

Not rhetoric.

Straight talk from founders who live this every day — building weapons, exports, and deep-tech platforms from India.

⸻

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – 03:18 • Why India Still Imports Most of Its Weapons

03:18 – 05:45 • Hardware vs Services: India’s Missing R&D Culture

05:45 – 09:55 • Engines, Talent & The Brutal Math of Catching Up

09:55 – 14:50 • Sensors, Supply Chains & The Fragility of Import Dependence

14:50 – 18:05 • Why Startups Can’t Fix Defense Alone

18:05 – 22:24 • War Readiness, Mindset Shifts & The Post–Ops Ladakh Reality

22:24 – 26:50 • The Colonial Hangover: Why We Trust Foreign OEMs More

26:50 – 31:02 • Deep-Tech, Drones & India’s Counter-Drone Future

31:02 – 36:12 • Venture Capital vs National Security: Who Should Fund R&D?

36:12 – 41:48 • Engines, Aero-Systems & Why India Has No Domestic Powerplants

41:48 – 47:50 • War Logistics: What Breaks When Imports Stop

47:50 – 53:47 • L1 Procurement, Unrealistic Trials & Why Good Tech Fails

53:47 – 57:50 • The Case for Non-RFP, Outcome-Based Procurement

57:50 – 01:04:26 • Export Markets, Opportunity & India’s Untapped Strengths

01:04:26 – 01:08:07 • The Road Ahead — Hard Truths, Real Solutions

⸻

👤 Guests — Vivek Krishnan & Dinesh Shivanna

Founders, SS Defence | Building India’s Deep-Tech & Weapons Manufacturing Ecosystem

⸻

👤 Host — Roshan Cariappa

X → https://x.com/RoshanCariappa

Instagram → /carygottheblues