Deepinder Goyal's LAT Aerospace acquires defence robotics startup Sharang Shakti
New Delhi, February 24
LAT Aerospace, backed by Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, has acquired Sharang Shakti, an early-stage defence robotics startup based in Gurgaon.
Announcing the development, Goyal wrote on X, "This is our first move toward building indigenous defence capabilities alongside our long-term mission of developing next-generation civil aviation platforms from India."
He noted that civil aviation and defence are often viewed as separate sectors. "But the core technology stack is shared across autonomy, perception, sensing, navigation, guidance, and control systems."
By bringing Sharang Shakti into LAT, he said they are building these capabilities in-house, from first principles, with the intent to deploy them across both defence and civil programs over time.
"Slowly but surely," his X post concludes, reaffirming his commitment.
In January 2026, Deepinder Goyal resigned as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Eternal, Zomato's parent company. Goyal was set to transition to the role of Vice Chairman on the board of directors, subject to shareholder approval.
Goyal stated that his decision to step away from the executive role stemmed from a desire to pursue high-risk exploration and experimentation. In a letter to the shareholders, he noted that these new ideas were better pursued outside of a public company framework.
"Of late, I have found myself drawn to a set of new ideas that involve significantly higher-risk exploration and experimentation," Goyal had said. He added that if these ideas belonged inside the strategic scope of the company, he would have pursued them within the organisation, but noted that Eternal deserves to remain focused and disciplined.
He had emphasised that the transition allows the company to remain sharply focused while providing him the space to explore ideas that do not fit the risk profile of Eternal.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting pivot from food delivery to aerospace and defence. Hope this leads to real innovation and not just another corporate acquisition. The synergy between civil and defence tech makes sense, but execution is key.
Gurgaon startup getting acquired for defence robotics? That's awesome! Shows the talent pool we have outside traditional hubs. Wishing the Sharang Shakti team all the best under LAT. Make India proud!
Respectfully, I have concerns. While the vision is grand, moving from a public company CEO role to a high-risk venture in defence requires immense capital and patience. I hope this doesn't become a case of over-extension. The shareholders of Eternal will be watching closely.
"Slowly but surely" – I like that approach. Defence manufacturing isn't a sprint; it's a marathon. Goyal's methodical thinking from Zomato might be exactly what this sector needs. Fingers crossed for some groundbreaking Made in India tech!
The core tech stack argument is spot on. AI, sensors, navigation... these are universal. If we can master them for one application, scaling to others becomes easier. This is a smart long-term bet for the nation's technological base.
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