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Poland’s largest private defence company, WB Group, plans to invest around $100 million over the next five years to manufacture military drones in India.
Why India: recent conflicts have shown that relatively small drones can track enemy movements, attack vehicles and carry out missions without risking a pilot’s life.
India is therefore buying more unmanned systems while also asking global defence companies to manufacture locally. Additionally, producing in India could help WB Group qualify for defence orders that prioritise Indian content and domestic production.
Once a local supply chain is established, the company could use India as a manufacturing base to supply other countries.
The move also fits India’s larger goal of reducing its dependence on imported weapons.
WB Group has already acquired space in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, where it plans to establish manufacturing and research facilities.
Its main products include:
- FlyEye: a small surveillance drone that helps soldiers observe an area and identify targets.
- Warmate: a loitering munition, commonly known as a kamikaze drone. It can circle over an area, locate a target and strike it.
- Swarm system: connects FlyEye and Warmate, allowing one drone to find a target and another to attack it.
In simple words, one drone acts as the eyes, while another can act as the weapon. WB GROUP
The company says its unmanned systems have been used extensively by Ukraine since 2014.
WB Group claims it stopped counting its equipment’s flying time after it crossed one million hours.
Big picture: the announcement comes days after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited India with around 100 business and industry representatives.
India and Poland agreed to create a Defence Industry Dialogue, which will help companies identify opportunities in technology partnerships, joint development and local production.
The countries also set a goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030 from the current level of roughly $6.3 billion. Defence, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining and critical minerals have been identified as major areas for cooperation.
