In major Make in India push, L&T and General Atomics affiliate to make advanced drones for armed forces

L&T will also be a prime bidder for Defence Ministry's upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme, with GA-ASI as technology partner.

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26 Aug, 2025 12:21

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In a significant boost for self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) have signed a strategic partnership to make Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in India for the Indian Armed Forces, a company filing said on October 31.

Shares of L&T are higher by less than a percent in an overall subdued day of trading.

The pact will deliver combat-proven RPAS platforms, or advanced drones, build entirely in India, with critical technology transfers that will meet localized procurement norms as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

"This partnership offers India a unique opportunity to manufacture state-of-the art unmanned platforms indigenously," SN Subrahmanyan, Chairman & Managing Director of L&T said.

As part of the pact, L&T will take part in Defence Ministry's upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme as the prime bidder with GA-ASI as a technology partner. General Atomics said the pact is a major commitment to support India’s self-reliance and indigenous manufacturing ambitions in aerospace.

"By combining GA-ASI’s proven technology with L&T’s robust manufacturing expertise, we aim to deliver cutting-edge MALE RPAS solutions that will enhance the operational readiness of the Indian armed forces and contribute to a strong, sustainable defence ecosystem in India," Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics said.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is one of the world’s foremost builders of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), with the Predator line of drones, along with MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian.

The partnership with a globally proven OEM in unmanned ariel systems helps India's private defence industry acquire advanced capabilities rather than wait for entirely indigenous systems to mature, aside of strengthening the domestic manufacturing ecosystem.

The pact has also reinforced the decades-old US-India defence cooperation. On October 31, the United States signed a 10-year defence framework with India in the presence of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, aimed at information sharing and technological cooperation.