mPhibr mR10 Swarm Drone

In a landmark development for India’s defence-tech and aerospace sector, Noida-based drone start-up Raphe mPhibr has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round, led by General Catalyst with participation from Think Investments, Amal Parekh, and several family offices. This brings Raphe mPhibr’s total funding to $145 million, making it the most highly funded aerospace manufacturing start-up in India to date.

Raphe mPhibr: From Stealth To Spotlight

Founded in 2016 by brothers Vivek and Vikash Mishra—graduates of Georgia Tech and MIT, respectively—Raphe mPhibr has spent nearly a decade quietly building fully indigenous, combat-ready UAVs for India’s military. The company’s reputation soared after its drones played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, a covert Indian military retaliation following a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Raphe’s drones were reportedly used for targeted missile strikes across the border, underscoring India’s growing reliance on home-grown unmanned aerial vehicles for critical defence operations.

Deep Vertical Integration And Indigenous R&D

What distinguishes Raphe mPhibr is its deep vertical integration and commitment to indigenous research and development. Unlike many competitors that depend on imported parts or licensed technologies, Raphe builds almost everything in-house—from carbon fibre composite fabrication to the design of internal combustion engines (ICE) specifically optimised for military UAVs. This approach extends to critical subsystems, including electronics, software, composite structures, and wire harnesses, ensuring greater control over quality, customisation, and supply chain reliability.

Product Portfolio And Manufacturing Scale

Raphe mPhibr offers a comprehensive range of defence-grade UAVs, including:

mR10: Drone swarm platform for coordinated missions
mR20: High-altitude logistics resupply drone
X8: Compact platform for maritime patrol and situational awareness
Bharat: Lightweight, man-carried drone for rapid surveillance in complex terrain

With the new funding, Raphe is ramping up its manufacturing capacity, aiming to deliver over 150 high-altitude logistics drones and up to 300 smaller UAVs monthly. The company’s new facility will enable a tenfold increase in production, supporting India’s growing demand for home-grown aerospace technologies.

Strategic Importance And National Impact

The success of Operation Sindoor has catalysed unprecedented interest from the Indian defence sector. The Indian Army has already placed significant orders for suicide drones from domestic players, and Raphe is positioned to secure multi-crore contracts as the armed forces prioritise indigenous procurement in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.

The $100 million infusion will be used to expand manufacturing capacity and accelerate research in autonomous navigation, propulsion systems, and AI-enabled targeting solutions. Raphe’s rise is also reversing India’s brain drain in deep-tech, attracting top engineers and scientists from the US and Europe back to India to work on cutting-edge national security projects.

India’s Booming Start-Up Ecosystem

Raphe mPhibr’s success is emblematic of India’s rapidly evolving start-up landscape. As of June 2025, over 1.80 lakh start-ups have been officially recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), with more than 16.6 lakh direct jobs created. The government’s Start-Up India Initiative, launched in 2016, has spurred this growth with policy reforms, tax incentives, and funding schemes such as the Start-Up India Seed Fund and the Fund of Funds for Start-Ups.

India’s start-up ecosystem is now the world’s third largest, with a surge in deep-tech, biotech, and AI-driven ventures. Over 48% of DPIIT-recognised start-ups have at least one woman director, and more than 40% are based in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, reflecting the democratisation of innovation across the country.

Conclusion

Raphe mPhibr’s $100 million funding round not only marks a defining moment for India’s defence-tech sector but also exemplifies the country’s broader transformation into a global innovation powerhouse. By building advanced, indigenous systems tailored for India’s unique defence needs—and by fostering a culture of deep R&D and manufacturing excellence—Raphe is helping to reshape the nation’s strategic capabilities and put Indian innovation firmly on the global map.

IDN