JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd., part of the $23 billion JSW Group and Shield AI, Inc, a leading U.S defense technology company, today announced a strategic partnership to indigenize and manufacture Shield AI’s “V-BAT,” a Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). This collaboration marks a significant step in boosting India’s defense capabilities by bringing in world-class UAS technology to the country.

As part of the partnership, the JSW Group will invest around $90 million in the next two years, with $65 million allocated in the first 12 months to establish JSW’s global compliance program, a manufacturing facility to ensure proper technology licensing, and training of manpower. This investment will enable JSW to establish a local supply chain and create an advanced facility in India for manufacturing, assembling and testing V-BAT aircraft. This effort 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 for Shield AI.

The V-BAT is a fixed-wing, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), long endurance intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) platform, currently deployed by multiple armed forces around the world, including the United States’ Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs). It provides cutting-edge ISR functionality in a highly tactical system, capable of being forward deployed in complex and adversarial territory in order to provide a range of flexible solutions to special forces, front-line infantry, armored and artillery units. V-BAT has a unique patented ducted design with the advantage of a small logistics footprint and ease of rapid deployment.