'OPERATION K-FORCE' & A CALL FOR THE FOUR A's

KERALA'S DEFENCE LEAP: WITH STARTUPS, SHIPYARD & SILENT HEROES FUELLING AN ATMANIRBHAR SURGE, IT'S TIME FOR STAGE-2 PROPULSION

- RAJESH ABRAHAM & ANU KURUVILLA @Kochi

Kerala may not be the first name that springs to mind when you think of defence and aerospace. But make no mistake—the state is quietly scripting a revolution in India's quest for 'Atmanirbharta' in the strategic sector. From shipyards to space parks, MSMEs to military-grade startups, Kerala is stepping up post-Operation Sindoor, tapping into a rapidly expanding defence opportunity with a mix of gritty innovation and strategic ambition.

At the heart of this story is Keltron. "Following the Pahalgam terror attack, Keltron played a key role in strengthening India's defence response," Industries Minister P Rajeeve revealed. The state-run electronics giant supplied critical systems for INS Arnala—the first indigenously built anti-submarine warfare vessel—including its sonar sensor, underwater communication system, power amplifier, and echo sounder.

That's not all. Keltron had earlier delivered the 'Maareech Towed Array' system—designed to detect and neutralise torpedoes—to the Indian Navy. "With decades of technical expertise, Keltron is now a trusted name in defence. Orders are steadily flowing in," Rajeeve added.

WhatsApp to warfare Ironically, Kerala's most promising defence cluster—K-Space—is still just a concept. "We don't have anything officially called K-Space. What we have is a WhatsApp group," chuckled a startup founder, who wished not to be named. But the vision is real. The state government has earmarked land at TechnoCity for a futuristic Kerala Space Park. The initiative is being revived after facing setbacks caused by the alleged involvement of M Sivasankar, IAS—who had been leading several projects, including the Space Park initiative—in a scandal.