JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd. has entered into a strategic partnership with Shield AI, a prominent U.S. defence technology company, to manufacture the V-BAT, a Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), in India. This collaboration aims to enhance India's defence capabilities by localizing the production of advanced military technology.

JSW Group will invest approximately $90 million over the next two years, with $65 million allocated in the first year for establishing a manufacturing facility, ensuring global compliance, and training personnel.

The partnership will facilitate the creation of a local supply chain and an advanced facility for the manufacturing, assembly, and testing of V-BAT drones in India. This initiative is expected to support large-scale production to meet the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and establish India as a global production hub for Shield AI.

The V-BAT is characterized by its fixed-wing design and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, making it suitable for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It is designed for rapid deployment in complex environments and is currently used by various military forces worldwide, including U.S. Marine Expeditionary Units.

This partnership not only strengthens India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities but also aligns with broader Indo-U.S. defence cooperation goals. Brandon Tseng, President of Shield AI, emphasized that this collaboration will leverage India's engineering talent while transitioning towards more cost-effective unmanned systems that can perform missions traditionally handled by larger aircraft at a fraction of the cost.