Chennai: In a significant step towards strengthening India’s defence drone capabilities, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, the Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace, recently held a detailed meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the future of defence drone technology in India. The discussions revolved around Garuda Aerospace’s pivotal role in developing cutting-edge drones for defence applications and its ambitions to become a market leader in the defence segment within the next two years.
Garuda Aerospace, already a leader in agricultural and consumer drones, aims to expand its footprint in defence technology by transitioning into the defence drone sector. As part of this strategic shift, the company has proposed the establishment of a state-of-the-art, 30,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Chennai. This facility will focus on the design, manufacturing, and testing of advanced drones. It will also support indigenous subsystem development and local manufacturing of critical components such as drone motors, batteries, and transmitters.
Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace in a recent one-on-one meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
In collaboration with key industry players like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the facility is expected to boost the production of defence drones, including Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) drones, swarm drones, tethered drones, and underwater drones.
Speaking about the meeting, Jayaprakash said, “I had the privilege of meeting Hon’ble Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, who graciously took the time to discuss our vision of making India a global drone hub by 2030. Our ‘Make in India for the world’ initiative received his full support, aligning with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision.”
Jayaprakash highlighted the growing importance of defence drone technology in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the country’s armed forces. He emphasized that Garuda Aerospace is committed to being at the forefront of this mission, playing a crucial role in developing and deploying advanced drone solutions for defence.
In the meeting, Garuda Aerospace also outlined its recent international partnerships with companies like Thales (France), Agrowing (Israel), and Spirit Aeronautics (Greece). These collaborations focus on technology transfer and local manufacturing, reducing costs while creating job opportunities for the Indian youth.
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About Garuda Aerospace
Founded in 2015, Garuda Aerospace is a leading Indian drone technology start-up that specializes in precision agriculture and Industry 4.0 upgrades. The company has grown from a small team to over 200 employees and operates a fleet of more than 400 drones across 84 cities in India. With a diverse product portfolio of 30 drone models and 50 service offerings, Garuda Aerospace has served clients like TATA, Adani, and Reliance, among others.
The company has also partnered with global giants, including Lockheed Martin, Cognizant, and Elbit Systems. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Garuda’s drone yatra, where 100 drones were deployed across 100 villages simultaneously. Garuda Aerospace holds several key certifications, including approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for type certification and remote pilot training.
Garuda Aerospace is on a mission to impact one billion lives with affordable drone technology, with cricket star Mahendra Singh Dhoni serving as the company’s brand ambassador and investor.