Tue Dec 02 11:32:57 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

JSW Group Invests $90 Million in Drone Manufacturing Facility in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, India – December 2, 2025 – The JSW Group, a $23 billion conglomerate, has officially broken ground on a new unmanned aerial systems (UAS) manufacturing facility in Maheshwaram, near Hyderabad. The $90 million (approximately Rs. 850 crore) investment signifies JSW’s commitment to establishing a robust local defense manufacturing ecosystem.

The facility, operated by JSW Defence, will be built in strategic partnership with US-based Shield AI to manufacture Shield AI’s V-BAT Group 3 unmanned aerial system (UAS). This involves a long-term technology transfer licensing agreement. V-BAT is a fixed-wing, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), currently deployed by various armed forces globally, including the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs).

Production is expected to commence by the last quarter of 2026. The 16-acre facility will have an annual capacity of 300 V-BAT drones and will include production, repair, testing, administrative, and support infrastructure. The project is projected to create over 300 high-value jobs.

Telangana IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, alongside JSW Group’s Parth Jindal, attended the foundation stone laying ceremony.

“This project stands among the most significant defense technology transfers to India,” said Mr. Jindal. He envisions the facility as the foundation for an integrated, end-to-end UAS ecosystem, encompassing manufacturing, operator training, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), and continued innovation.

JSW Group is investing a total of Rs. 1,200 crore in defense ventures, including Rs. 320 crore for the technology transfer from Shield AI. The initial order from the Indian Armed Forces involves the import of eight UAS under the emergency procurement route. Larger orders are anticipated once the facility is fully operational.

This venture follows JSW’s existing collaborations in defense manufacturing, including a joint venture with a Ukrainian company to produce special mobility vehicles and another JV with an American firm for off-road vehicles, both located in Chandigarh.

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