Bengaluru: Garuda Aerospace, one of India’s leading drone companies, is set to play a crucial role in the development of indigenous defence drones. In a recent meeting with Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, the company discussed its plans to shift focus from agricultural and consumer drone technologies to becoming a major player in the defence sector within the next two years.
Founder and CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash unveiled plans for a new Defence Drone Facility in Chennai, a 30,000-square-foot complex that will house advanced design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities.
Developed in partnership with industry giants HAL and BEML, the facility will focus on producing critical indigenous drone subsystems, including motors, batteries, and transmitters, as part of Garuda’s push towards localised manufacturing.
Garuda Aerospace aims to develop advanced drones with ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities, as well as swarm, tethered, and underwater drones, solidifying its role in strengthening India’s defence sector.
Jayaprakash expressed his appreciation for the meeting, stating: “I had the privilege of meeting Honourable Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, who was gracious in giving time to discuss the vision of making India a global drone hub by 2030. Garuda Aerospace’s ‘Make in India for the World’ initiative was well-received, and the Defence Minister extended his full support for expanding Garuda’s operations in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.”
The discussion underscored the critical importance of defence drone technology in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India’s armed forces. Garuda Aerospace is committed to leading this innovation.
Jayaprakash also briefed Rajnath on the company’s international collaborations with Thales from France, Agrowing from Israel, and Spirit Aeronautics from Greece. These partnerships will facilitate technology transfer, enabling local manufacturing, reducing costs, and creating employment opportunities for Indian youth.
