Garuda Aerospace, BEL sign MoU to advance indigenous UAS for defence
Garuda Aerospace, a leading Indian drone manufacturer backed by former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to jointly pursue upcoming opportunities for the supply of indigenous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to the Indian Defence Forces, Central Police Organisations (CPOs), and specialised security agencies. The MoU was signed in New Delhi on January 13, 2026, between Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director of Garuda Aerospace Ltd, and Prahalad, General Manager (Marketing), Bharat Electronics Limited.
Under the agreement, BEL will act as the Team Leader and Lead Bidder, while Garuda Aerospace will serve as the Technology and Teaming Partner. The collaboration aims to combine BEL’s extensive expertise in defence electronics, system integration, and large-scale programme execution with Garuda Aerospace’s advanced capabilities in drone design, manufacturing, and operational deployment. The partnership is focused on developing and delivering mission-critical, fully indigenous unmanned systems tailored to the evolving operational requirements of India’s defence and internal security ecosystem. It also aligns with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which seeks to enhance self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
To operationalise the collaboration, the two organisations will enter into a separate Teaming Agreement at a later stage. This agreement will define the binding terms of engagement, including scope of work and work-share arrangements, in accordance with customer requirements and applicable defence procurement processes. Commenting on the development, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director of Garuda Aerospace, said, “This collaboration with BEL marks an important step in advancing India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision for defence manufacturing.
Garuda Aerospace has consistently worked with defence and Government agencies while contributing to national initiatives such as the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra and Namo Didi. Partnering with BEL enables us to combine their leadership in defence electronics and system integration with our operationally proven drone technologies to deliver scalable, mission-ready, and indigenous UAS solutions for India’s security forces.”
BEL also acknowledged the partnership through its official social media channels, stating that the collaboration aims to leverage BEL’s deep experience in defence electronics and programme execution alongside Garuda Aerospace’s strengths in advanced drone design, manufacturing, and deployment. The company noted that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to developing indigenous, mission-critical unmanned solutions to meet the evolving needs of India’s defence and internal security agencies.
The signing of this MoU marks a significant milestone in fostering collaboration between a premier public sector defence enterprise and a new-age Indian drone manufacturer, reinforcing India’s push towards self-reliant, scalable, and technologically advanced unmanned aerial systems for national security applications.
