Garuda-Aerospace-BEL agreement ceremony.
Garuda Aerospace-BEL Drone Manufacturing: Chennai/New Delhi — In a move aimed at strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities, Garuda Aerospace and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly pursue upcoming opportunities for supplying Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to the Indian Defence Forces, Central Police Organisations (CPOs), and specialised security units. The MoU was formalised in New Delhi on January 13, 2026, with Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director of Garuda Aerospace, and Prahalad, General Manager – Marketing at BEL, signing on behalf of their respective organisations.
Combining Legacy Defence Expertise with Drone Innovation
Under the agreement, BEL will act as the Team Leader and Lead Bidder, leveraging its decades of experience in defence electronics, system integration, and programme execution. Garuda Aerospace, in turn, will serve as the Technology and Teaming Partner, bringing its expertise in advanced drone design, manufacturing, and operational deployment to the table.
The collaboration is designed to develop and deliver indigenous, mission-critical unmanned solutions aligned with the evolving operational requirements of India’s defence and internal security ecosystem. It also supports the national objective of self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
A follow-on Teaming Agreement will define the binding terms of engagement, including scope of work and work-share allocation, tailored to end-customer requirements and applicable procurement processes.
Garuda-Aerospace-BEL agreement ceremony.
Advancing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Vision
Commenting on the partnership, Agnishwar Jayaprakash said: “This collaboration with BEL marks an important step in advancing India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision for defence manufacturing. Partnering with BEL allows us to further strengthen this ecosystem by combining their leadership in defence electronics and system integration with our operationally proven drone technologies, enabling the delivery of scalable, mission-ready, and fully indigenous UAS solutions for India’s security forces.”
BEL highlighted that the partnership aims to leverage its legacy in defence electronics along with Garuda Aerospace’s cutting-edge drone capabilities to address mission-critical requirements. The joint effort reflects a shared commitment to developing scalable, fully indigenous unmanned systems to meet the operational needs of India’s defence and internal security agencies.
Significance for National Security
The MoU represents a milestone collaboration between a premier public sector defence enterprise and a new-age Indian drone manufacturer. By combining BEL’s experience in system integration with Garuda’s expertise in drone design and deployment, the partnership aims to deliver advanced, reliable, and mission-ready UAS platforms capable of supporting surveillance, reconnaissance, and security operations across the country.
This initiative further cements India’s trajectory toward indigenously developed, self-reliant defence solutions, enabling rapid development and deployment of unmanned aerial systems that enhance the nation’s operational capabilities in defence and internal security.
With this collaboration, India moves closer to establishing a robust domestic UAS ecosystem, combining innovation, operational readiness, and defence manufacturing self-sufficiency.
