In the ongoing progression of India’s journey toward complete self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Blackstone Tactical Pvt Ltd is marching ahead, guided by the powerful mantra “Forged for the Frontline.” It has emerged as a vanguard, successfully translating the vision of the ‘Make in India’ initiative into battlefield-ready reality. Focusing on the development of indigenous, AI-driven defence equipment, the company is enhancing the operational capabilities of the armed forces while critically addressing the nation’s reliance on costly foreign imports by delivering robust and reliable technology at a significantly optimised price point.
Guided by a profound vision of self-reliance and strategic strength, Blackstone Tactical is committed to advancing India’s technological leadership on the global stage and contributing to national defence through indigenous expertise.
The ‘Make in India’ Imperative: Cutting Costs, Elevating Standards
The core of Blackstone Tactical’s strategy lies in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge defence solutions within the country. This model creates a critical strategic advantage: drastically reducing reliance on high-cost global supply chains and foreign OEMs.
Indian defence technology startup, Blackstone Tactical is focused on designing and developing indigenous, AI-enabled weapon and surveillance systems aligned with the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The company emphasises end-to-end control over design, engineering, and system integration to deliver mission-ready, cost-optimised solutions for land and perimeter defence.
“With hands-on experience across the defence ecosystem and active engagement with end users, the company is well positioned to convert opportunities into long-term strategic partnerships with the armed forces,” says Majid Ahmed, Chief Business Officer.
The localisation of research, development, and production inherently allows the company to cut costs while maintaining, and often surpassing, international standards for robustness and reliability.
By developing technologies from the ground up, such as its flagship ‘SARANG’ system, the company demonstrates that superior performance does not have to be synonymous with exorbitant costs. This approach ensures that the Armed Forces can equip more units, faster, with modern, AI-integrated systems, thereby enhancing overall operational readiness and force multiplication.
Blackstone Tactical’s founder Shahnawaz Hamid, who brings multidisciplinary experience across defence technology development, AI systems, and product engineering, says that the company is driven by a deep understanding of operational requirements and future warfare trends.
This blend of technical execution and defence ecosystem exposure positions Blackstone Tactical strongly for scalable adoption by the armed forces in the near and long term. According to Shahnawaz Hamid, Founder & VP R&D, “Blackstone Tactical—built for modern battlefields—combines indigenous AI, modular weapon platforms, and cost-effective design. Our focus is on directly addressing the operational needs of the armed forces today and in the future.”
“Blackstone Tactical—built for modern battlefields—combines indigenous AI, modular weapon platforms, and cost-effective design. Our focus is on directly addressing the operational needs of the armed forces today and in the future.” – Shahnawaz Hamid, Founder & VP R&D
The indigenous development process also guarantees complete control over system architecture, ensuring prompt customisation, easier maintenance, swift troubleshooting, and full data security—elements often compromised when relying on imported technology.
Blackstone Tactical specialises in the development and integration of next-generation autonomous weapon systems, delivering tactical superiority across land and naval domains. Its expertise encompasses remotely operated weapon stations (ROWS), AI-integrated turret systems, and stabilised weapon platforms designed for precision engagement in dynamic environments. These systems leverage real-time sensor fusion, adaptive fire control algorithms, and embedded AI for threat detection, tracking, and autonomous engagement, ensuring unmatched operational responsiveness.
The company’s ability to provide customised defence equipment designs, tailored to mission-specific requirements and platform compatibility, is a direct result of its indigenous control over the entire technology stack.
DART-X P: Redefining Agility with Ultra-Light RCWS
The DART-X P represents a significant leap in the field of Remote Controlled Weapon Stations (RCWS), redefining agility with what the company calls the industry’s lightest, high-speed RCWS architecture. Fused with next-generation AI, the DART-X P is designed to detect, track, and engage targets faster than ever before.
Weighing less than 20 kg, the DART-X P is an ultra-lightweight RCWS, making it exceptionally versatile and deployable across a universal mounting interface. Its low-profile footprint is specifically designed for portability and minimal vehicle intrusion, and its high-strength, lightweight frame is engineered for rigidity and vibration dampening.
Operational speed is a defining feature of the DART-X P. It boasts a response time of less than 50 milliseconds from operator input to actuation, coupled with high-speed traverse and elevation capabilities for rapid target acquisition. Its robust AI architecture allows for a single-click switch between manual and auto operation. The system is optimised for 7.62 mm calibre weapons and features electronic stabilisation for on-the-move firing accuracy.
Further enhancing its operational profile is its comprehensive sensor suite, offering full day/night capability. It utilises enhanced sensor sensitivity for superior clarity in near-dark conditions and includes an integrated Thermal and Infrared (IR) pointer/illuminator for stealth engagement. The DART-X P’s design emphasis on weather resistance, with sealed electronics for extreme climates, ensures reliability regardless of the operational theatre. Its universal mounting capability makes it suitable for Light Tactical Vehicles (LTVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).
HAWKSIGHT: Comprehensive AI Perimeter Defence
Moving beyond direct weapon systems, Blackstone Tactical has also revolutionised security and surveillance with HAWKSIGHT, a self-contained AI surveillance system engineered for powerful, customisable perimeter defence. HAWKSIGHT is designed as a plug-and-play device for simplicity, relying on a standard 220V AC power input for straightforward residential or commercial operation.
HAWKSIGHT provides granular control of the environment through a multi-tiered alert system. The system is designed to trigger the right response instantly, whether it’s a scheduled warning for unauthorised access or a high-level beacon activation for critical security threats.
“With hands-on experience across the defence ecosystem and active engagement with end users, the company is well positioned to convert opportunities into long-term strategic partnerships with the armed forces.” – Majid Ahmed, Chief Business Officer
Technologically, HAWKSIGHT supports simultaneous video streams from multiple IP-based cameras. It features Customisable Target Detection, utilising AI models to detect targets beyond standard human and vehicle classification, including specific animals, industrial equipment, or unauthorised objects. The system performs high-speed processing for Real-Time Object Classification, identifying objects such as humans, cars, trucks, weapons, and drones instantaneously.
A specialised algorithm activates a high alert immediately upon the detection of firearms, knives, or other pre-defined dangerous items—the Weapon/Anomaly High Alert. This critical security feature triggers the built-in Emergency Red Beacon for the highest-level, critical alerts. Furthermore, HAWKSIGHT allows for Time-Based Restriction Rules, enabling users to set scheduling profiles that elevate alert levels or restrict specific object types based on the time, for example, banning human presence during late hours.
SARANG: Precision. Powered by AI
SARANG is Blackstone Tactical’s flagship, AI-enabled Fire Control System (FCS)—a fully indigenous, next-generation solution built to dominate the modern battlefield. It represents a paradigm shift in infantry and light armour capability, transforming standard firearms into smart weapons using sophisticated AI-powered fire assistance.
SARANG’s primary function is to eliminate the guesswork, with its AI delivering the precise firing cue to make the first shot count, every time. By providing next-generation fire control, SARANG drastically transforms engagement certainty with intelligent, portable technology.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Battlefield, Today
Blackstone Tactical’s successful development and fielding of SARANG, DART-X P, and HAWKSIGHT underscore a significant victory for the ‘Make in India’ defence initiative. By embracing self-reliance, the company is successfully delivering systems that are not only technologically superior—leveraging advanced AI and sensor fusion capabilities—but also strategically viable due to their inherent cost-effectiveness.
As a cutting-edge defence company, Blackstone Tactical designs and develops intelligent defence equipment that empowers armed forces with precision, agility, and real-time decision-making capabilities. The development of fully indigenous technology reduces the nation’s defence expenditure on imports while simultaneously guaranteeing the reliability and security vital for the front lines. Blackstone Tactical is building superiority, not just systems, fulfilling the promise of a resilient, innovative, and globally rising India.
