Some missions don’t end with retirement; they simply evolve. That’s exactly what happened when Colonel P Hani, SM (Retd), and Colonel (Dr) N Sriramesh, SM (Retd), traded their uniforms for boardroom strategy, yet stayed focused on a singular mission: strengthening India’s national security. In December 2020, driven by a shared purpose and deep operational experience, the two veterans co-founded Edgeforce Solutions in Hyderabad. Today, their company, incubated at T-Hub, is a rising force in India’s defence innovation ecosystem, with a portfolio spanning unmanned ground vehicles, AI-powered predictive maintenance systems, and advanced AR/VR-based military training simulators. Colonel P Hani tells CE about the company’s journey, challenges, and vision.
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Tell us about Edgeforce Solutions.
Edgeforce Solutions Private Limited (ESPL) is a Hyderabad-based company focused on developing indigenous, deep-tech solutions for defence applications. Our strength lies in building cutting-edge autonomous ground vehicles, AI-integrated AR/VR training simulators, and predictive maintenance systems for military platforms. The name ‘Edgeforce’ was born from our intent to give a cutting-edge advantage to India’s forces, and so, our tagline is ‘Bringing Deeptech to Defence Tech’. I spent months discussing this vision with my long-time friend and now co-founder, Colonel (Dr) N Sriramesh. In December 2020, we launched Edgeforce.
Artificial Intelligence became the cornerstone of our roadmap. My exposure to AI during my service, particularly while helping implement AI as part of officer training curricula, gave me critical insights into its practical military applications. Since inception, we’ve developed several path-breaking solutions for the Army, Navy, and Air Force in domains like unmanned autonomous systems, XR simulations, robotics, and AI-driven maintenance tools. Our broader mission aligns with the national vision of making India ‘Atmanirbhar’ in complex defence technologies.
What are your core technologies and products?
Our work revolves around three verticals:
Autonomous systems
XR simulations
AI-based defence solutions
We design unmanned ground vehicles and aerial platforms tailored for high-risk or inaccessible operational terrains. These systems enhance mobility, reduce casualties, and provide strategic advantages in real-time scenarios.
Our AR/VR training simulators immerse defence personnel in hyper-realistic, decision-intensive environments — from urban warfare to high-altitude operations — improving readiness without real-world risks.
AI powers much of what we do, whether it’s predictive analytics for vehicle maintenance or intelligent decision-support systems for commanders.
These tools are not only increasing operational efficiency but also aligning India’s forces with the future of tech-driven warfare. Together, these solutions deliver an end-to-end capability stack for India’s security ecosystem, from training and simulation to real-world deployment and sustainment.
Can you walk us through a recent technical challenge you overcame?
A major ongoing challenge is the lack of a robust domestic semiconductor and component ecosystem, which affects development cycles for high-performance embedded systems used in radar, RF, and mission-critical applications. The absence of readily available electro-optical modules and specialised sensors also leads to cost and lead time issues due to import dependence.
Testing infrastructure is another bottleneck. India has limited certified EMI/EMC labs and RF test ranges. Field validation for radar systems often requires MoUs with DRDO or defence PSUs, leading to procedural delays. Without in-house facilities like semi-anechoic chambers, validation becomes time-consuming.
Supply chain disruptions, especially for RF-grade PCBs and high-precision components, compound the issue. To address this, we’ve adopted modular design strategies, built academic partnerships for simulation and prototyping, and created a multi-vendor sourcing network to build resilience. These constraints have only strengthened our resolve to indigenise, optimise, and innovate around the ecosystem we do have.
Edgeforce has developed AR and VR-based training platforms. How are these being used?
Our AR and VR simulators are redefining military training by offering hyper-realistic, immersive environments that mirror real-world stress and tactical complexity. These platforms allow soldiers to train for high-risk scenarios like counter-insurgency or amphibious missions without logistical constraints or safety risks. What sets us apart is contextual depth. As veterans, Colonel Sriramesh and I bring operational insight that generic tech companies lack. Our systems replicate not just terrain and visuals but also tactical decision-making pressure, stress responses, and adaptive enemy behaviours. For example, our urban warfare simulators feature branching decision trees, where a soldier’s choices affect the evolving scenario. Performance is tracked through mission-critical metrics like reaction time, stress-based accuracy, and coordination effectiveness. We also customise training for specific Indian conditions — high-altitude warfare, desert operations, or jungle combat — ensuring that personnel train in environments that closely resemble their future theatres of operation. Continuous feedback from active units ensures that our systems evolve with changing threats.
How is Edgeforce leveraging the government’s push for indigenisation and innovation?
We’re closely aligned with policy frameworks like Startup India, IDEX, and TIDE 2.0. These schemes have been critical in validating and scaling our innovations. We began with support from the Startup India Seed Fund, followed by successive wins in MEITY’s TIDE 2.0 and multiple IDEX challenge grants. What we’ve learned is that these programs reward genuine, field-deployable innovation, not just polished presentations.
We’re also integrated into broader Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, working with both private and public sector partners to indigenise critical technologies. The ecosystem is now more receptive to startups like ours that bring operational insight and deep-tech capabilities to the table.
What’s next for Edgeforce?
We’re scaling manufacturing, with DRAX, our flagship Unmanned Ground Vehicle, ready for mass production following successful Army trials. Technologically, we’re pushing the frontiers of AI integration, working on next-gen autonomous platforms with advanced learning capabilities. We’re also extending our XR suite beyond training to include AI-assisted maintenance and operational planning tools. A major milestone is our partnership with Ashok Leyland Defence Systems, where we serve as their exclusive partner for advanced tech systems. This synergy between our innovation and their manufacturing scale is a model we plan to replicate with other key industry players. Internationally, we’re exploring strategic collaborations to take our technologies global without compromising our IP or mission focus.
Long-term, we aim to be the tech backbone of India’s defence modernisation. By 2030, we envision Edgeforce tech being embedded across platforms, from predictive maintenance tools to battlefield robotics and network-centric warfare systems. We’re also preparing for the future by focusing on swarm robotics, AI-assisted decision-making, and cyber-physical battlefield networks. Essentially, we are investing today in technologies that will define tomorrow’s conflicts.