Homegrown Garuda Aerospace's Push For Drone Self-Reliance

Garuda Aerospace, the homegrown drone manufacturing company which recently raised ₹ 100 crore in its Series B funding round, is working towards full indigenisation of drone supply and production in a bid to make them affordable. Speaking to Acko Drive on National Technology Day 2025, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace said: "We are aiming to achieve full indigenisation in the coming years, with two facilities currently under development. While certain components are not yet manufacturable in India, we should reach this milestone within the next 3-5 years."

The firm, backed by cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, aims to reduce dependence on imported components and technology for manufacturing drones in the country. Plans to open one of Garuda's facilities this month were postponed due to current national security concerns, a source told Acko Drive on the condition of anonymity.

“...Our key milestones include establishing a fully operational indigenous manufacturing line for critical avionics components within the first year, and achieving 75 per cent domestic sourcing of all UAV components, including sensors and communication systems, by the end of year three,” Jayaprakash added.

The Indian aerospace and defence (A&D) sector is forecasted to expand to approximately $70 billion by 2030, propelled by increasing infrastructure requirements and governmental initiatives, according to AIAI.

"Our focus on indigenous manufacturing involves strategic partnerships with Indian manufacturers and suppliers, for example motors and batteries. These collaborations not only strengthen our economy but also contribute to making our drones more affordable. Our ultimate goal is to become India’s first fully indigenous drone company.”

One such partnership is a recent MoU between Tata Elxsi and Garuda Aerospace, signed at Aero India 2025. The collaboration will focus on AI and ML-driven solutions to enhance drone efficiency. The companies hope to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in energy consumption and over 20 per cent cost savings.
"By focusing on domestic development of UAV components, we aim to stimulate the growth of local suppliers and manufacturers. This will create a robust indigenous supply chain and foster economic growth within the aerospace sector," Jayaprakash noted.

However developing indigenous UAV systems for defence applications has its own challenges, primarily achieving stringent military-grade standards and airworthiness certifications mandated by Indian authorities. 

"...This often involves extensive testing and validation processes to ensure reliability and safety under extreme operational conditions. Certifying indigenous avionics and flight control systems to international standards like DO-178C and DO-254, which require rigorous documentation, testing, and independent verification to prove compliance, is another key challenge," Jayaprakash explained.

The homegrown drone manufacturer is also trying to preserve the security of our local communication systems and obtain necessary certifications related to encryption standards and resistance to cyber threats and jamming.