Chennai : India’s most valuable drone startup Garuda Aerospace, announced a strategic investment in Zuppa, an indigenous deep-tech startup specialising in cyber-secure drones and advanced autopilot systems. Garuda Aerospace’s investment in Zuppa marks a major milestone in bolstering the Make in India drone ecosystem, aligning with the government’s vision of fostering cutting-edge indigenous defence technologies.
Through this investment, Garuda Aerospace and Zuppa now partner to drive innovation, expand market reach, and position India as a global leader in secure drone technology. As the only Indian company among a select seven worldwide with proprietary deep-tech in secure autopilot systems, vital for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Zuppa brings unmatched expertise.
Focused on joint development and market expansion, this collaboration will fast-track next-gen drone solutions. Zuppa leads in cyber-secure autopilot advancements, while Garuda Aerospace scales adoption through its strengths in financing, operations, and customer acquisition.
Speaking on the company’s investment in Zuppa, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace, said, “At Garuda Aerospace, we strive hard with concentrated efforts to not just be at the forefront of India’s drone revolution but also in ensuring we have state of the art secure and safe technologies to offer. Our investment in Zuppa aligns with our vision of strengthening our defence capabilities and offering through homegrown, secure, and cutting-edge solutions. This investment reinforces our focus on building a robust, self-sufficient drone ecosystem that can cater to both domestic and global markets.”
Sai Pattabiram, Founder and Managing Director of Zuppa, stated, “India has a unique opportunity to emerge as a ‘Global Hub for Secure Drones by 2030.’ However, achieving this goal requires the ecosystem to shift from assembling imported components to a well-structured, cooperative, tiered system similar to those in the aerospace and automotive industries. This partnership between two pioneering Indian drone companies sets a benchmark for future collaborations, driving the growth of the indigenous drone sector.”
Venkatesh Sai, Co-founder and Technical Director at Zuppa, added, “This partnership holds immense potential for mutual success. Our collaboration with Garuda Aerospace is a true win-win, enabling us to focus on core technological advancements and maintain our competitive edge in autopilot and cyber-secure drone technology. Meanwhile, Garuda Aerospace leverages its strengths in financing, operations, and customer acquisition to drive expansion across diverse applications and geographies.”
With the government’s strong push for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and growing strategic partnerships in defence, Garuda Aerospace’s investment in Zuppa signals a transformative shift in India’s drone industry. The company partnered with Tata Elxsi to establish a design and engineering centre for developing indigenous drone technologies, supporting defence, agriculture, and smart cities under the ‘Make in India‘ initiative.
Strengthening its commitment, Garuda Aerospace also launched eight advanced drones for defence, safety, and logistics at Aero India 2025, showcasing cutting-edge technology for disaster management and military operations this year. Additionally, in a key discussion with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the company outlined its vision to become a market leader in the defence drone segment within two years.
