Garuda Aerospace, Micron Instruments join forces to expand indigenous defence drone capabilities
Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on product distribution, joint technology development and defence-focused projects. Their combined expertise is expected to support the development of loitering munitions, and payload-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles.
Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace and precision engineering company Micron Instruments have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop next-generation unmanned defence systems.
The collaboration highlights a wider push to strengthen India’s domestic defence manufacturing capabilities as the country seeks to reduce dependence on imports while building advanced military technologies.
Garuda Aerospace founder and chief executive Agnishwar Jayaprakash said, “It (the collaboration) opens new opportunities in defence drones, loitering munitions, and next-generation unmanned systems, supporting India’s journey towards technological self-reliance.”
Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on product distribution, joint technology development and defence-focused projects. Their combined expertise is expected to support the development of loitering munitions, payload-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other advanced unmanned systems.
Loitering munitions are drones that can remain over a target area before identifying and striking a target, while payload-enabled UAVs are drones designed to carry equipment such as surveillance sensors or defence systems.
Micron Instruments brings decades of experience in manufacturing precision fuzes, ammunition components and other mission-critical defence systems. A fuze is the device that initiates the functioning of ammunition under specific conditions.
“Our association with Garuda Aerospace reflects a shared commitment to developing advanced, homegrown solutions that strengthen India’s defence ecosystem and support the country’s vision of self-reliance,” Micron Instruments Chairman and Managing Director Vikram Sahgal said.
The announcement comes as India continues to accelerate its defence modernisation through policies that encourage domestic manufacturing. The government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the Defence Acquisition Procedure have increasingly prioritised indigenous procurement, while the Production Linked Incentive scheme for drones and the Drone Rules, 2021 have sought to encourage investment and innovation across the civilian and defence drone ecosystem.
The wider drone sector has also witnessed rapid technological progress following lessons from recent conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine, where low-cost drones, autonomous systems and loitering munitions have reshaped modern battlefield tactics.
As a result, defence companies globally are investing heavily in AI-enabled drones, electronic warfare resilience and autonomous capabilities.
Indian companies have also expanded their presence in this segment. IdeaForge Technology has strengthened its position in surveillance drones for security agencies, while NewSpace Research & Technologies has worked on autonomous swarm drone technologies. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited have also broadened their unmanned systems programmes through partnerships and in-house development.
Garuda Aerospace, which is preparing for an initial public offering, has traditionally focused on agricultural and industrial drone applications but has steadily expanded into defence. According to the company, it has also established collaborations with organisations including Thales and Tata Elxsi as it broadens its aerospace portfolio.