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In one of the most unusual matchups, the Mahindra Group is joining hands with defense-tech darling Anduril Industries to develop autonomous defense and surveillance systems.
The deal was announced as India and the U.S. continue to strengthen their collaboration on key national security initiatives.
For context, Anduril is one of the hottest tech ventures on the planet, founded by the eccentric 32-year-old Palmer Luckey (who also founded Oculus, the VR company) and backed by the Thiel boys. The company develops lethal autonomous weaponry for the U.S. defense forces.
This isn’t the first military-tech rodeo for Mahindra either. The company’s defense arm, MDS, has been steadily expanding its presence.
- Partnered with Boeing and HAL to manufacture F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in India.
- Signed an MoU with Embraer for C-390 Millennium transport aircraft production.
- Won a ₹1,350 crore contract in 2021 to develop Integrated Anti-Submarine Defense Systems (IADS) for the Indian Navy.
With Anduril, the partnership exclusively focuses on autonomous maritime defense systems and anti-drone technology specifically. Here’s what is in the pipeline:
- Autonomous aerial systems to spot and take down unauthorized drones.
- Next-gen command and control (C2) software for more effective defense operations.
- Fully self-driving submarines built for surveillance and security.
Bigger picture: Defense remains one of the hottest global themes as the world order becomes increasingly multi-polar. Every serious nation is ramping up its military capabilities.
Look at India’s defense spending for a clue— with the latest budget, defense allocation is expected to reach ₹2.99 lakh crore for FY26.
