Newsletter
L&T has joined hands with US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) to manufacture advanced combat drones in India.
Note: this partnership also builds on the new 10-year US-India defence framework signed the same day.
Breaking it down: the partnership focuses on building Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).
These are high-end military drones known for long flight endurance and precision strike capabilities. L&T will lead as the prime bidder for the Defence Ministry’s upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme, while GA-ASI will provide technology transfer and expertise.
Why it’s important: the pact will allow India to locally produce combat-proven drones like the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, cutting dependence on imports and boosting the domestic defence ecosystem.
“This offers India a unique opportunity to manufacture state-of-the-art unmanned platforms indigenously,” said L&T CMD SN Subrahmanyan.
Zoom out: India’s combat drone programme is shifting from buying to building. Until recently, the country relied on imports like Israel’s Heron UAVs and leased US-made MQ-9B SeaGuardians.
But now, with projects like the L&T–General Atomics partnership, India is gearing up to make advanced drones at home.
