VISV-2026 Opens in Delhi as DRDO Courts Partner Nations

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth opened VISV-2026 at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on 30 October 2026. The event was put together by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, known as CENJOWS, and its stated theme was showcasing defence capabilities and strengthening global partnerships. A seminar on taking DRDO solutions to partner nations, from technology to strategic partnership, ran alongside it.

What VISV stands for

The name is built from four words that the minister described as the pillars of the event. Vision sets the direction for guessing at defence needs before they arrive. Innovation turns laboratory research into usable technology. Synergy ties together the armed forces, research bodies, industry and partners abroad. Values keep cooperation rooted in trust, mutual respect and responsibility. The minister tied all four to the goal of a technologically advanced and self-reliant defence base on the road to Viksit Bharat @ 2047, and said that self-reliance in technology is what allows India to be a worthwhile partner to other countries in the first place.

A compendium in three languages

The minister released a compendium of DRDO products in Arabic, Spanish and French, meant to make India's defence solutions easier to understand for buyers and partners who do not work in English.

Who spoke

• Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary and Chairman of DRDO, on joining technological capability with industrial capacity and institutional tie-ups
• Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), who said formal invitations are going out to counterparts abroad for Aero India 2027 at Bengaluru and spoke of moving past buyer-seller dealings to joint development and co-production
• Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary, on defence diplomacy, strategic autonomy and multi-alignment

Who attended

Defence attaches and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions from friendly countries attended, with senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of External Affairs, HQ IDS, the armed forces, DRDO, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, academia and industry. A panel on avenues for joint collaboration looked at defence exports, technical exchange, adapting products to a buyer's needs, co-development, co-production and industrial tie-ups.