VEDA Aeronautics is strengthening India's drive towards self-reliance in aerospace and defence technologies by testing indigenous jet engines for a growing family of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the jet-powered Sureshastra Mk1 loitering munition and new deep-strike kamikaze drones designed for long-range operations.

The company's efforts are focused on reducing dependence on imported propulsion systems while expanding the capabilities of indigenous unmanned combat platforms. This initiative aligns closely with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and the broader push to develop critical aerospace technologies within the country.

A key product in VEDA's portfolio is the Sureshastra MK-1 (pic above), a 90 kg fixed-wing loitering munition featuring a V-tail configuration. The platform measures 3.5 m in length with a 3 m wingspan and is powered by a compact jet engine, enabling high-speed precision strike missions over extended ranges.

The Indian Air Force has already contracted the system in batches of 200 units under a ₹3 billion agreement, reflecting growing confidence in indigenous loitering munition capabilities. The platform is designed to operate in GPS-denied environments and can also support swarm operations against multiple targets.

Beyond the Sureshastra Mk1, VEDA Aeronautics has conducted testing of deep-strike kamikaze UAVs capable of ranges between 1,500 km and 2,000 km. These systems incorporate GPS-denied navigation, advanced autonomous flight functions and artificial intelligence-powered target recognition to enhance operational effectiveness in contested environments.

The company is also pursuing longer-range variants of its strike systems, including developments aimed at extending operational reach well beyond existing loitering munition capabilities. Such platforms are intended to provide the Indian Armed Forces with deep-strike options while maintaining a high degree of indigenous content.

An important element of this effort is VEDA's collaboration with Bharat Forge. Under their partnership, Bharat Forge is supplying domestically developed microjet engines in the 40-45 kgf thrust class while simultaneously advancing larger indigenous engines with thrust ratings of up to 400 kgf for future unmanned systems and high-speed aerial weapons.

The partnership brings together VEDA's expertise in unmanned systems and Bharat Forge's growing aerospace propulsion capabilities, creating an indigenous supply chain for critical UAV technologies. The serial production of smaller jet engines is expected to support multiple current and future unmanned defence projects.

These developments form part of a wider transformation within India's indigenous aerospace sector. Alongside private-sector initiatives, organisations such as DRDO have been progressing locally developed propulsion systems, including a 350 kgf-class expendable turbojet engine, helping establish a stronger domestic ecosystem for unmanned combat aircraft, loitering munitions and advanced aerial weapon systems.

As India accelerates investment in indigenous aerospace technologies, VEDA Aeronautics' work on jet-powered UAVs, long-range kamikaze drones and domestically produced propulsion systems represents an important step towards building a more capable and self-reliant unmanned warfare capability.

Agencies