IPO-bound Garuda Aerospace said it used the visit to present an overview of its defence programmes, manufacturing capabilities, research and development initiatives and industry partnerships.
The discussions also covered the company’s drone pilot training ecosystem, including its Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs).
Garuda Aerospace, which is backed by Cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, said it had also proposed initiatives to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to train 80,000 Agniveers across the Tri-Services, while projects currently in the pipeline were discussed during the interaction.
Also read: Drone Ecosystem
“India’s journey towards defence self-reliance requires strong collaboration between industry, government, academia and the armed forces,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace said in a statement.
He described the visit as an opportunity for the company to demonstrate its efforts towards building a more self-reliant and resilient defence ecosystem.
Jayaprakash also reiterated the company’s commitment to the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and India’s ambition of becoming a global hub for indigenous drone technology and manufacturing.
The ADG, ADB, commended Garuda Aerospace for its efforts to strengthen domestic drone manufacturing capabilities and appreciated the company’s investments in manufacturing infrastructure, technology development and R&D, according to the company.
The Army Design Bureau team also reviewed Garuda Aerospace’s vulnerability checklist and testing processes in coordination with authorised agencies to assess adherence to applicable defence standards.
A key focus of the visit was the company’s manufacturing infrastructure. Garuda Aerospace showcased its 50,000 sq. ft. drone manufacturing facility, which covers design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing and deployment.
According to the company, the facility includes injection moulding, industrial-grade 3D printing, battery assembly and testing infrastructure. The facility is supported by more than 50 PhD researchers working in areas including PCB manufacturing, RF antennae, communication systems and Ground Control Stations.
The interaction also placed emphasis on indigenisation as a component of India’s defence preparedness. The company said the engagement reinforced the vision of “Design in India, Develop in India and Manufacture in India.”
The visit comes as India continues to emphasise domestic capabilities across defence manufacturing and emerging technologies. For Garuda Aerospace, the engagement provided an opportunity to showcase its manufacturing, R&D and localisation capabilities directly to the Army Design Bureau.
The company said its broader focus includes designing, building and customising unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), alongside its activities in precision agriculture technology and Industry 4.0 applications.
The visit and the review of manufacturing and testing capabilities mark an interaction between the Army’s design-focused organisation and an Indian drone technology company working to expand its presence in the defence ecosystem.
