When TONBO Imaging came into existence, the Indian armed forces were far from its list or clients. So much so that other than few attempts at showcasing their platforms and systems developed entirely basis their own IPRs to army and MoD officials, there was a conspicuous lack of effort on their part.
Instead, TONBO focused its attention towards US security forces and NATO countries, where they found immediate traction due to their revolutionary concepts. The Indian Army would be made aware if TONBO's existence entirely by happenstance when the Indian Army chief happened to visit a CQB training facility. He was impressed by the sights and was fundamentally surprised that these cutting edge equipment donned by SOCOM operators came from Indian sources.
Post that a few representations were made to TONBO and discussions carried forward. But there was really no movement and TONBO was focused on its original market.
Everything would change during the Pathankot assault by Pak specialist units. Lacking thermal sights to operate in the dark, the Indian Army and NSG requested ToNBO and received 2 copies of sights on a trial basis. The rest is history.
After that it would be the Indian armed forces who would push to set up purchase deals with TONBO. The push came primarily from the armed forces.
A similar approach was adopted by MKU. While they are happy to receive and fulfil orders from Indian armed forces, their target market are NATO countries and others.
These firms, combined with the developer of Netra drones are the only start ups who been able to make a viable business in defense space from India.
Even for larger more established firms, for example TAS, they have been able to create a viable business in defense and aerospace primarily because they serve global demand of Boeing. Their primary market too is not India
On the other hand, L&T defence with India as it's primary market is looking at a substantial loss on its investments in the port facility and its manufacturing facility for SPH due to lack of timely reorders. If that happens, they will rethink any future investments in defence for a long time.
The point of telling all of this is that any start up and in fact any business that wants to enter into defence/aerospace must ensure that India is not their primary market if they want to survive. The myriad, strenuously slow procurement processes and lack of a definite purchase requirements and schedule means that orders take decades to place, and then arrive at piecemeal rates, without any guarantee of repeat orders, while being completely at risk of arbitrary cancellation or postponement.
From a business standpoint, any business that puts Indian armed forces as primary clients is likely to wind up long before any orders come through.
I wish SSS defense understands this and diversifies away from just targeting Indian agencies and forces. Else it runs the risk of failing.
