Garuda Aerospace recently showcased its indigenous defence drone manufacturing and research capabilities to the Indian Army’s Design Bureau. Major General Gopal Kapoor, Additional Director General of the Army Design Bureau, visited the company’s Chennai facility to assess its technology, production infrastructure and localisation efforts, The Week reported.

The visit was aimed at reviewing Garuda Aerospace’s indigenous manufacturing strengths and understanding its ongoing and upcoming projects designed to support India’s evolving defence and drone ecosystem.

The company presented an overview of its defence programs, manufacturing capabilities, research and development initiatives, and industry partnerships.

Garuda Aerospace also highlighted its expanding drone pilot training ecosystem. This includes its Remote Pilot Training Organisations, which are part of a larger initiative proposed to the Chief of Defence Staff to train 80,000 Agniveers across the Tri-Services.

The company emphasised that these efforts are aligned with strengthening India’s drone ecosystem and building skilled manpower for future requirements.

The Chennai facility, spread across 50,000 square feet, covers design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing and deployment of drones.

It is equipped with injection moulding, industrial-grade 3D printing, battery assembly and testing infrastructure.

The company noted that these capabilities are supported by more than 50 PhD researchers specialising in PCB manufacturing, RF antennae, communication systems and Ground Control Stations.

The Army Design Bureau team also reviewed Garuda Aerospace’s vulnerability checklist and testing processes, which are carried out in coordination with authorised agencies to ensure adherence to defence standards.

Major General Kapoor praised the IPO-bound company’s efforts to strengthen India’s domestic drone manufacturing capabilities. He appreciated its investments in infrastructure, technology development and R&D, while emphasising that indigenisation remains a critical pillar of India’s defence preparedness under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. The interaction reinforced the principle of ‘Design in India, Develop in India and Manufacture in India’.

Garuda Aerospace’s founder and CEO, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, said that India’s journey towards defence self-reliance requires strong collaboration between industry, government, academia and the armed forces.

He described the visit as an important milestone, providing the company with an opportunity to showcase how it is contributing to building a more self-reliant and resilient defence ecosystem.

He 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.

Agencies