JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd., part of the US$ 23 billion JSW Group, today commenced construction of its facility for the next-generation Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) at EMC Maheshwaram, Hyderabad.
JSW has entered into a strategic partnership with Shield AI – a leading US-based defence technology company – to manufacture their Group 3 UAS – VBAT, under a long-term licensing arrangement for Transfer of Technology (ToT).
As part of the partnership, the JSW Group will invest around US$ 90 Million to establish JSW’s global compliance program, a manufacturing facility to ensure proper technology licensing, and training of manpower. This investment will enable JSW to establish a local supply chain and create an advanced facility in India for manufacturing, assembling and testing V-BAT. This effort will enable large-scale production of V-BATs in India to serve the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and also function as a global production hub.
The manufacturing of VBATs at the facility is expected to commence by the last quarter of 2026.
The foundation stone laying ceremony of the plant was performed by Mr. Parth Jindal of the JSW Group, in the presence of Shri Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Honourable Minister for IT, E&C and Industries & Commerce, Telangana, senior officials from the state government, Shield AI and the Indian Armed Forces.
Mr. Parth Jindal of JSW Group said, “Today’s milestone signals a bold new chapter in India’s journey toward self-reliance in next-generation defence technologies. Our collaboration with Shield AI reflects our shared ambition to bring mission-critical, globally benchmarked capabilities to India and to build an ecosystem that will define the future of unmanned systems for the nation. From manufacturing the globally renowned V-BAT at scale, the facility will lay the foundation for an integrated, end-to-end UAS ecosystem, from advanced manufacturing to operator training, MRO and sustained innovation. This project stands among the most significant defence technology transfers to India, and underscores our unwavering commitment to strengthen the country’s strategic capabilities and establishing India as a global leader in the unmanned aerial systems domain.”
