India’s Growing Drone Industry Gets a Boost
Garuda Aerospace plans to unveil eight cutting-edge drones at Aero India 2025, with the spotlight on defense, safety, and military applications, while also announcing new partnerships to push forward India’s drone tech sector, all backed by increased government incentives in the 2025-26 Union Budget.
Innovative Drones for Defense and Safety
Garuda Aerospace has crafted a fleet of drones to tackle important defense and emergency tasks. These include:
- Rocket Launcher Drone: Boosts firepower for the military.
- Land Mine Detection & Diffusement System: Aids in safer operations in conflict zones.
- Logistics Drone: Handles transport in tough terrains.
- Thales Garuda UTM: Developed with Thales for managing unmanned traffic.
- Firefighting Drone for SDRF: Quick response tool for State Disaster Response Force.
- VR Military Drone Simulator: Offers training to military personnel.
- Grenade & Canister Dropping Drone: Supports loitering munitions uses.
- Life Buoy Drone: Assists in rescue missions by the Navy and Coast Guard.
Partnerships to Drive Drone Innovation
To speed up drone tech progress, Garuda Aerospace is building strong partnerships with industry leaders:
- Thales: Working on unmanned traffic management systems.
- Rajasthan Electronics (REIL) & HFCL: Enhancing drone communication and surveillance.
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): Advancing military drone research.
- Tata Elxsi & Central University of Jammu: Collaborating on AI and autonomous navigation.
These alliances align with India’s goal of self-reliant drone manufacturing, improving defense and security efficiency.
“These partnerships, coupled with our new drone platforms, represent a significant leap forward in our commitment to bolstering India’s defence capabilities,” shared Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace. “Aero India 2025 provides the ideal platform to showcase how these innovations will shape the future of defence, security, and humanitarian efforts, addressing critical needs both domestically and internationally. These developments will fuel the expansion and explore new markets further solidifying our position as a global leader in drone technology,” he concluded.
Sometimes, we think about how fast technology can change the world around us.
Government’s Role in Boosting Drone Production
The Indian government’s latest budget underlines its commitment to growing the drone industry. They allocated ₹57 crore to the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which is 7.5% more than last year. The goal is to boost local production and cut down on imports. Key measures include:
- Expanded PLI Scope: Incentives now cover drone leasing, local software creation, and AI-based drone uses.
- Increased Localization: Efforts to reduce imported components from 50-60% to 30%.
- Defense Focus: An expected ₹2,000-3,000 crore allocation to enhance military drone use for surveillance and logistics.
- Research and Development Investment: Proposals for a ₹300 crore R&D fund for AI-enabled drones.
- Job Creation: The industry could create over 1 million jobs by 2025, supporting India’s tech hub ambitions.
The Future of India’s Drone Sector
With new drone launches and government backing, India’s drone scene is set for rapid growth. Garuda Aerospace’s participation in Aero India 2025 underscores drones’ increasing role in security, disaster relief, and business. Expanding local production and key partnerships will help India remain competitive globally in unmanned aerial systems.
Aero India 2025 is scheduled from February 10-14, 2025, at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, India.
