Adani says its drones were India's eyes and swords of attack in Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: Billionaire Gautam Adani on Tuesday said drones and anti-drone systems made by his conglomerate played a frontline role in Operation Sindoor - the precision counter terror strike launched by the Indian Armed Forces in direct retaliation for the brutal Pahalgam terror attack.

Speaking at his group's annual shareholder meeting, Adani said, "Operation Sindoor called, and we delivered".

The loitering munitions produced by Adani Defence conducted precision strikes while its counter-drone units protected Indian assets from retaliatory threats.

"Our drones became the eyes in the skies as well as the swords of attack, and our anti-drone systems helped protect our forces and citizens," he said.

Developed in partnership with Alpha Design Technologies (26 per cent owned by Adani Defence) and Israel's Elbit Systems, the SkyStriker loitering munition or kamikaze drones can carry 5-10 kg warheads, fly silently at low altitudes up to 100 km, and precisely strike targets.

"As I have always believed - we don't operate in safe zones. We operate where it matters - where India needs us the most," Adani said.

Adani began the address to the annual general meeting by saluting the brave soldiers guarding borders.

"This year, during Operation Sindoor, our brave men and women in uniform stood tall. Not for fame, not for medals - but for duty. Their courage reminded us that: Peace is never free, it is earned. And that the freedom to dream, to build, and to lead - stands firmly on the shoulders of those who protect," he said.

India, he said, understands the value of peace. "But if someone dares to threaten it, India also knows how to respond in their own language," he said referring to Operation Sindoor.

Adani said the world around has changed dramatically over the past 12 months.

"Over 60 nations went to the polls. Borders were redrawn, alliances tested, and economies shaken. In the Middle East, war continued to cast shadows on energy and logistics. In Europe, economic confidence stumbled. The United States had its own challenges. And yet, in the middle of all this noise, India stood apart and grew faster than any other major nation," he said.

This, he said, was not a coincidence. "It is the result of vision. Of intent. Of policy. I say this with full conviction that the Indian Government, both at the Centre and across the states, has laid down the foundation for a truly historic transformation - a transformation not of a few, but for an entire nation whose best chapters are just beginning."

At the AGM, Adani underscored the conglomerate's resilient performance, reaffirmed its national mission and pledged record-breaking capital investments across critical sectors in India.

Despite global headwinds - from geopolitical instability in the Middle East to economic turbulence in the West - the Adani Group's chairman said India stood out as a beacon of growth due to visionary policymaking and bold national intent. "India is writing history not of a few, but of a billion dreams." In a year marked by scrutiny, including US regulatory inquiries, Adani reaffirmed the Group's adherence to global governance standards. "No one from the Adani Group has been charged with violating the FCPA or conspiring to obstruct justice," he said, pointing out that truth often speaks softer than negativity but carries more weight.

Financially, the Group recorded Rs 2.71 lakh crore in revenue and Rs 89,806 crore in adjusted EBITDA. A healthy net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 2.6x was maintained, even as annual CAPEX is projected to touch USD 15-20 billion over the next five years.

"And our numbers tell their own story. Even in a year of turbulence, we saw record-breaking revenue, unprecedented growth and historic profitability. We are proof of a Group that dares to dream beyond constraints and powered by a nation that breathes possibility into every tomorrow ahead of us," Adani said.