L&T partners with US firm to manufacture unmanned aircraft for Indian Army

Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Friday said that it has entered into a strategic pact with US-based Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for manufacturing unmanned aircraft systems for the Indian Army.

Under the partnership, both the firms will together manufacture Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in India.

L&T's engineering, precision manufacturing and system integration capabilities in defence and aerospace and GA-ASI operational expertise will be utilised in this strategic pact.

"Under this partnership, L&T will participate in the upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme of the Ministry of Defence, where L&T will be the prime bidder and GA-ASI the technology partner," the infrastructure major said in a filing to the BSE.

The collaboration will enable the production of GA-ASI's MQ-series RPAS that are combat proven.

These are widely operational across the globe with millions of flight hours in surveillance and strike missions, it said.

The partnership marks a milestone in India's pursuit of a self-reliant defence ecosystem, strengthening Indo-US defence collaboration and fostering a competitive, globally integrated aerospace manufacturing base.

"This partnership offers India a unique opportunity to manufacture state-of-the- art unmanned platforms indigenously this alliance will significantly enhance India's defence capabilities and advance self-reliance in aerospace technologies," L&T Chairman & Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan said.