Deepinder Goyal’s LAT Aerospace acquires defence robotics startup Sharang Shakti

Deepinder Goyal’s LAT Aerospace acquires defence robotics startup Sharang Shakti

LAT Aerospace, the aviation venture backed by Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, has acquired Gurgaon-based early-stage defence robotics startup Sharang Shakti, its first acquisition as it begins assembling core technology capabilities.

The acquisition is “our first move toward building indigenous defence capabilities alongside our long-term mission of developing next-generation civil aviation platforms from India”, Goyal said in a social media post on February 24.

The deal signals a shift from LAT Aerospace’s previously articulated vision of improving regional air connectivity to building a deeper technology stack spanning autonomy, sensing and control systems — capabilities that can be deployed across both defence and civilian aviation.

Building the core tech stack

Goyal said civil aviation and defence are often viewed as separate sectors but share foundational technologies across “autonomy, perception, sensing, navigation, guidance, and control systems”.

“By bringing Sharang Shakti into LAT, we are building these capabilities in-house, from first principles, with the intent to deploy them across both defence and civil programs over time,” he wrote.

The emphasis on internal capability-building suggests LAT Aerospace is pursuing a vertically integrated approach rather than partnering externally for critical systems, a model increasingly seen in global deep-tech and aerospace startups.

Details of the transaction value and integration plans were not disclosed.

From regional aviation thesis to dual-use play

LAT Aerospace first came into focus in 2025, when it outlined ambitions to tackle India’s underserved regional aviation market by developing small, high-frequency aircraft and operating models designed to connect tier 2 and 3 cities more efficiently.

That earlier vision positioned the venture as an attempt to rethink short-haul air travel using distributed infrastructure and lower operating costs.

The acquisition of a defence robotics startup now indicates the company is expanding beyond an air mobility use case to develop enabling technologies that could support a broader class of aerial platforms, including autonomous and next-generation aircraft systems.

Early days, long runway ahead

The Sharang Shakti acquisition represents the first visible execution step by LAT Aerospace, as it transitions from concept to capability creation. The company’s eventual roadmap, including aircraft development, regulatory engagement and potential partnerships, remains to be detailed.

For now, the venture appears to be laying the technological groundwork required for any future push into advanced civil aviation platforms from India.