A trio of V-BAT UAVs. (Shield AI)
Shield AI is partnering with JSW Defence, part of the JSW Group, to manufacture its V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in India.
Under the strategic partnership, JSW Group will invest around USD90 million over the next two years, including USD65 million in the first year, to establish JSW's global compliance programme, manufacturing facility for licensed production, and workforce training, according to a Shield AI statement on 12 November. This would enable JSW Group to create a local supply chain to manufacture, assemble, and test V-BAT unmanned aircraft at scale to meet Indian Armed Forces needs and serve as a global production hub for Shield AI, the statement said.
The agreement is part of India's efforts to indigenise defence technology, noted Parth Jindal, a managing director at JSW Group, in the statement. The partnership will enable the company to produce V-BAT systems at scale and provide operator training and end-to-end maintenance, repair, and overhaul services to the Indian Armed Forces, he said. It could also include integrating indigenous systems with Indian-built V-BATs, Brandon Tseng, co-founder and president of Shield AI, told Janes on 18 November.
The deal is part of a multifaceted agreement to bring Shield AI's capabilities to the Indian market, he continued. The company initially demonstrated V-BAT drones for the Indian Armed Forces to gauge interest, including flights in the Himalayas, he said. The accord with the JSW Group was the next step.
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