NewKerala.com

Indian Army Selects Shield AI's V-BAT Drones and Hivemind AI Software

Shield AI has been selected to provide its V-BAT unmanned aircraft systems and Hivemind autonomy software to the Indian Army. The deal includes licensing the Hivemind software development kit to enable sovereign development of autonomous defence solutions within India. This partnership builds on a strategic manufacturing alliance with JSW Defence, involving a $90 million facility in Hyderabad for domestic V-BAT production. The V-BAT's vertical take-off and landing capability and long endurance make it suited for intelligence and reconnaissance across India's diverse environments.

Key Points: Indian Army to Get V-BAT Drones with Shield AI's Hivemind Software

  • V-BAT VTOL drones for Indian Army
  • Hivemind AI enables autonomous missions
  • Supports sovereign defence development in India
  • Part of $90M domestic manufacturing plan
  • Designed for diverse terrains from Himalayas to coasts
3 min read

Shield AI selected to provide V-Bat unmanned aircraft systems and hivemind autonomy software to the Indian Army

Shield AI to supply V-BAT unmanned aircraft and Hivemind autonomy software to the Indian Army for AI-powered ISR missions.

"India's selection of V-BAT and Hivemind... reflects a clear understanding of the resilient, expeditionary autonomy required by modern militaries. - Sarjan Shah"

New Delhi, January 28

Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defence aircraft, today announced that India has selected Shield AI to supply V-BATs to the Indian Army. Under the program, the Indian Army will receive V-BATs and licenses for Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software, which will be integrated into the V-BAT platform.

In addition to the procurement of V-BAT aircraft, the deal includes the licensing of Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software development kit (SDK). Hivemind enables defence systems to sense, decide, and act, allowing autonomous platforms to adapt to dynamic environments, avoid threats, and complete missions without human intervention.

The SDK enables the sovereign development, deployment, and evaluation of mission autonomy across platforms and will also be available to select Shield AI partners in India to develop autonomous solutions tailored for India, in India.

"Shield AI has been an early mover in investing deeply in India, forging strategic partnerships to bring sovereign defence capabilities to the nation," said Sarjan Shah, Shield AI's managing director for India.

"India's selection of V-BAT and Hivemind for the Indian Army reflects a clear understanding of the resilient, expeditionary autonomy required by modern militaries operating across India's diverse environments. V-BAT's ability to operate without runways, deliver long-endurance intelligence at the tactical edge, and perform in contested environments makes it uniquely suited to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) from the Himalayas to India's oceanic borders," added Shah.

This deal builds on Shield AI's ongoing commitment to India's security and war-fighting needs. In December 2025, JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd commenced construction of its facility for next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at EMC Maheshwaram, Hyderabad, as part of its strategic partnership with Shield AI to manufacture V-BAT domestically. This USD 90 million investment will enable large-scale production of V-BATs in India to serve the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and also function as a global production hub.

V-BAT is a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS with a ducted-fan design, more than 12 hours of endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine. Designed, tested, and deployed for the electronic warfare battlefield, V-BAT delivers ISR and targeting at significantly lower cost and logistical burden than larger Group 4 and 5 drones.

Its single-engine, enclosed-rotor design enables safe, unassisted launch and recovery from ship decks, urban rooftops, and austere environments. Under this partnership, Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software will also integrate onto V-BAT as an autonomous pilot, enabling AI-powered perception, cognition, and beyond-visual-range operations.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Excellent news. The VTOL capability and 12+ hour endurance are perfect for our diverse terrain from Ladakh to the islands. Hope the domestic production in Hyderabad starts soon and creates skilled jobs.
R
Rohit P
While the tech is impressive, I hope we are not becoming overly dependent on foreign software, even with licensing. The real test is whether our engineers can master and innovate upon the Hivemind SDK independently. The partnership must lead to true knowledge transfer.
S
Sarah B
As someone working in tech, the AI-powered "autonomous pilot" for beyond-visual-range ops is the game-changer. This isn't just a drone, it's a smart node in a network. Crucial for monitoring our long borders effectively.
V
Vikram M
Good move. The heavy-fuel engine is a practical choice for logistics. Deploying from ship decks and rooftops gives our forces great flexibility. Hope the training for our soldiers is comprehensive.
K
Karthik V
$90 million investment and local manufacturing is the best part. It's not just an import. This should boost our defence manufacturing ecosystem in Telangana. More such partnerships needed!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50