Business
What’s the best way to detect and destroy drones?
Adrienne MurrayTechnology reporter
AFP via Getty ImagesIn the northern Danish city of Aalborg, the firm MyDefence makes equipment that jams and repels drones.
“We’ve had a big surge of interest,” says chief executive, Dan Hermansen.
He says that up until early October his company was mainly dealing with defence firms, but now it has “completely shifted”.
The small, box-like kit made by MyDefence is mostly used by the military of Nato countries and Ukraine.
However lately demand has grown from civilian customers.
“It’s coming from critical infrastructure,” he adds, “from big companies, looking to protect their own assets”.
The device detects communication between the drone and its pilot, then breaks that connection, explains Mr Hermansen, by emitting a powerful radio signal on the same frequency.
Rather than falling out of the sky, the drone is pushed away and has a controlled landing. If it tries to reconnect to a GPS signal, that can be blocked too, he adds.
Mr Hermansen reckons that radio frequency jamming works against 80 to 90% of the drones that are flown.
MyDefenceWhile forcing an unwanted drone to crash land is a good result, it’s essential to be able to detect it first.
“The first part is really about identification. And the second part is an interceptor system,” explains Kasper Hallenborg, director of The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at University of Southern Denmark.
Identifying a drone is not so easy, points out Andreas Graae, the head of research at the Institute of Military Technology at the Danish Defence Academy.
“[Drones] can be very small or really big, and are often produced from materials like plastic or fabrics that are very hard to detect on a traditional radar,” he says.
A suite of technologies are under constant development, to help find drones.
That includes acoustic sensors that listen for the drone’s buzzing; advanced optical cameras, with very high resolution; and increasingly sophisticated tactical radars, which work over longer ranges and can even differentiate between a drone or a bird.
Once detected, a drone needs to be disabled. Electronic jamming, similar to that used by MyDefence has leapt forward, thanks in large part to the war in Ukraine.
“[Ukraine’s] frontlines are totally jammed,” Mr Graae says, which means that drone controllers lose control of their machines.
So, Russia and Urkaine have adapted by using drones controlled by fibre optic cables, or using drones that can navigate autonomously, or fly along pre-programmed routes.
Such drones need to be intercepted or shot down and plenty of firms are working on novel ways to do that.
Among them is Swedish start-up, Nordic Air Defence. It is developing a low-cost interceptor designed to strike the targeted drone, forcing it to crash.
“It’s missile shaped, so travels incredibly fast,” he adds. “It’s incredibly easy to manufacture. It is basically 3D printed,” says Jens Holzapfel, the company’s business director.
AFP via Getty ImagesCost is a criticial factor in countering drones.
Last month, Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte said: “It’s unacceptable to shoot down drones costing one or two thousand dollars with missiles that may cost half a million or even a million dollars.”
That’s been a big lesson from Ukraine, says Mr Graae. “It’s become a competition of how cheap you can actually make a drone attack, and how expensive it is to defend against.”
“As hostile drones become cheaper, it puts pressure on the defender to manufacture low cost products,” agrees Mr Holzapfel.
Low-cost drones are increasingly a security issue away from the frontlines of Ukraine.
Poland and Romania had their airspace breached by Russian drones; while separate drone incidents were reported, in Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Romania and most recently at Germany’s Munich airport.
In Denmark tensions have also run high after a string of mysterious sightings at airports and military installations around the country.
That spurred the defence ministry to deploy “several capacities” that can detect, track and jam drones; and last week Sweden announced plans to invest more than $365m (£275m) in anti-drone systems, including measures to jam and shoot them down, as well as the deployment of hunter drones.
Mr Holzapfel at Nordic Air Defence currently works with Sweden and its European allies. As well as the military, clients are from law enforcement agencies and security companies.
But he also sees civilian sectors like shipping and the oil and offshore industries as potential markets.
AFP via Getty ImagesIn a civilian setting. simply shooting down a drone might be too risky.
“It could be rather dangerous,” says Kasper Hallenborg, pointing to the falling parts and potentially flammable fuel.
“We saw the impact in Poland,” he continues. “That was just drone fragments, which more or less removed the roof of a house.”
Early detection would help, says Mr Hallenborg: “Then you can probably take it down somewhere it’s more safe to do so.”
At short ranges, shooting out nets to tangle up the drone is another method and cheap lasers are also being developed.
There are also safer, so-called soft-kill options, including hacking. “That’s a more secure way to neutralize the drone, because then you can actually control the landing,” says Mr Graae.
Crucially, a traffic management system is urgently needed, suggests Mr Hallenborg, involving electronic license plates for each drone device and way for users to register the flight in advance.
“Then we can quickly identify which drones are allowed to be there and those that aren’t,” says Mr Hallenborg.
“The [Danish] police have been overloaded with people telling them about what they’ve seen in the sky. A lot of these drones are probably there with a [legitimate] purpose,” he says.
Business
India’s $5 trillion economy push: How ‘C+1’ strategy could turn country into world’s factory
New Delhi: India is preparing for a major economic transformation. The Union Budget 2026-27 lays out measures that could make the country the top choice for global manufacturing using the popular ‘China +1’ (C+1) strategy. This comes as international companies rethink supply chains after COVID-19 disruptions, rising trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions.
India has positioned itself as the backup factory for the world that is ready to absorb international demand in case of any crisis in China or Taiwan.
The government has offered tax breaks for cell phone, laptop, and semiconductor makers, making India more attractive to foreign investors. Reducing bureaucratic hurdles for global firms, the budget also strengthens the National Single Window System to simplify business procedures. The message is clear: India is ready to step in as a global manufacturing hub, ensuring supply continuity for the world.
The expressway to a $5 trillion economy
China presently dominates about 40% of global manufacturing. Its factories supply critical products worldwide, but 2026 is expected to be a turning point. Expanding influence and economic opacity have made global companies seek alternatives.
India has leveraged this moment, offering a comprehensive incentive package for foreign manufacturers. Analysts call it more than policy; it is a blueprint to become a $5 trillion economy and reclaim India’s historic position as a global industrial leader.
Why the world needs India now
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangers of over-reliance on a single supplier. When China halted medical exports, nations realised the need for diversified supply chains. Major companies such as Apple and Samsung now see India as a dependable alternative.
China’s aging workforce and rising labour costs further enhance India’s appeal. With 65% of its population under 35, India offers a vast, skilled and affordable workforce for decades. The geopolitical uncertainty surrounding Taiwan, which produces 90% of advanced chips, has also created demand for a secure manufacturing backup. India is stepping in to fill that gap.
How India stands to gain from China’s challenges
India’s budget, 2026-27, slashes import duties on cell phone and laptop components, turning the country into a hub for component manufacturing, not just assembly. Electronics exports are projected to cross $120 billion by 2025.
The government has also launched a Rs 1.5 lakh crore semiconductor mission, attracting companies like Tata and Micron to establish advanced chip plants in India. In the chemical sector, stricter environmental regulations in China have shut down several plants, benefiting Indian companies such as Privi Specialty and Aarti Industries, which are now filling gaps in global supply chains.
Incentives for companies
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme promises cash rewards for output, covering over 14 sectors. This is India’s answer to Chinese subsidies. From land acquisition to electricity connections, the National Single Window System now enables businesses to clear all approvals through a single portal.
Infrastructure investment has also received a massive boost, with Rs 11.11 lakh crore allocated under PM GatiShakti. New ports and dedicated freight corridors are being built to ensure that exports from India reach the world faster and cheaper than ever before.
India’s moves points to a strategic shift in global manufacturing. By rolling out the red carpet for foreign companies and investing heavily in infrastructure, technology and policy reforms, the country is poised to become the go-to destination for global supply chains. The C+1 formula is not only a concept; it is a roadmap to turn India into the next industrial superpower and a $5 trillion economy.
At a time when global markets are witnessing high volatility due to geopolitical uncertainties, the hike in securities transaction tax (STT) on derivatives trades hit investor sentiment on Dalal Street on the Budget day. This in turn led to a sharp sell-off that pulled the sensex down by nearly 1,500 points—its biggest points loss on a Budget day—to close at 80,773 points. The sell-off also left investors poorer by Rs 9.4 lakh crore, the biggest Budget day loss in BSE’s market capitalisation.The day’s trading was marked by high volatility. The sensex rallied over 400 points as FM started her speech, fell about 1,100 points after the STT hike proposal was announced, partially recovered by mid-session to trade 600 points down on the day and then sold-off to close below the 81K mark for the first time in four months.On the NSE, Nifty too treaded a similar path to close 495 points (2%) lower at 24,825 points. Fund managers and market players feel the day’s sell-off was overdone, compounded by the absence of most institutional players since it was a Sunday. “The market’s reaction (to the hike in STT rates) was a bit overdone, although the decision itself was unexpected,” said Taher Badshah, President & Chief Investment Officer, Invesco Mutual Fund. “I think markets should settle down in 2-3 days.” Badshah said the Budget was in line with govt’s set path of the past few years, showing a conservative approach to setting targets.“The revenue and expenditure targets for FY27 are achievable. And since the rate of inflation is lower now, the nominal GDP growth rate of 10% may turn out to be on the higher side as inflation normalises during the year,” the top fund manager said. In Sunday’s market, of the 30 sensex stocks, 26 closed in the red. Among index constituents, Reliance Industries, SBI and ICICI Bank contributed the most to the day’s loss. Buying in software services majors Infosys and TCS cushioned the slide. In all, 2,444 stocks closed in the red compared to 1,699 that closed in the green, BSE data showed.STT hike aimed at curbing F&O speculation The decision to raise securities transaction tax (STT) for trading in equity derivatives means trading futures & options (F&O) will be more expensive from April 1. STT on futures trading rises from 0.02% to 0.05% now, and on options premium and exercise of options to 0.15% from 0.1% and 0.125% respectively. This could more than double statutory costs of trading F&O contracts.While the move is to curb excessive speculation by retail traders who mostly suffer losses, investors sold stocks of those companies that derive a large portion of their turnover from this segment. Stock price of Angel One crashed nearly 9%, BSE crashed 8.1%, Billionbrains Garage Ventures that runs the Groww trading platform, lost 5.1% and Nuvama Wealth Management lost 7.3%. STT hike follows a Sebi survey that showed that 91% of the retail investors lost money in the F&O market with average loss per investor surpassing Rs 1 lakh per year. Institutional and some high net worth players took home most of the profits from the segment.18% GST on brokerage for FPIs removedThe Budget proposed to do away with 18% GST charged on the brokerage that foreign portfolio investors pay in India. Among the host of changes to the GST laws that the finance minister proposed, one was abolishing clause (b) of sub-section (8) of section 13 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. This is being “omitted so as to provide that the place of supply for ‘intermediary services’ will be determined as per the default provision under section 13(2) of the IGST Act,” the Budget proposal said.
Buying property from an NRI? Worried about obtaining TAN? Not anymore. To relax the compliance burden, the Budget has proposed that resident individuals and HUFs need not have a Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) if they are purchasing a property from a non-resident Indian (NRI). The amendment will take effect from Oct 1, 2026.Under the proposed framework, resident individuals or HUFs can report the tax deducted at source (TDS) by quoting PAN, as is done when the transactions are between two residents. Presently, if a person buys an immovable property from a resident seller, the person is not required to obtain TAN to deduct tax at source. However, where the seller of the immovable property is a non-resident, the buyer is required to obtain TAN to deduct tax at source.Ameet Patel, partner at Manohar Chowdhry & Associates, said this used to be a detailed process. “At present, if a resident were to purchase an immovable property from an NRI, there is no separate relaxation regarding compliance with TDS responsibilities. As a result, in such cases, the buyer needs to obtain a TAN, register on the portal, and then deduct TDS u/s. 195, and pay to the govt. Under section 195, as with all other regular TDS sections, a quarterly e-TDS statement is required. A buyer would need professional help for all this.”Hinesh Doshi, CA, welcomed the move. “There used to be an unnecessary compliance burden due to this. While the process to obtain TAN is simple, people used to obtain TAN for just one transaction. So, this is a good riddance.”
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