New Delhi: LAT Aerospace has acquired Gurugram-based early-stage defence robotics startup Sharang Shakti. This marks the first acquisition by the company supported by Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, as it begins consolidation of its core technology base.
In a social media post on February 24, Deepinder Goyal, announcing the move said, “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.”
Earlier known for its plans to improve regional air travel, LAT Aerospace is widening its focus with the deal. The company is now working on building strong in-house capabilities in areas such as autonomy, sensing and control systems as these technologies can be used in both defence and civilian aircraft.
“Defence and civil aviation are often treated as separate industries, but they rely on similar core systems. These include autonomy, perception, sensing, navigation, guidance, and control systems,” noted Goyal. “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.”
Following a vertically integrated model, LAT Aerospace’s intent appears to develop these technologies internally, instead of depending on outside partners for key systems. The company plans to design and control critical technologies on its own – a common approach among global deep-tech and aerospace startups.
The financial details of the acquisition and plans for integrating Sharang Shakti into LAT Aerospace were not shared. In 2025, LAT Aerospace first drew attention when it proposed to build small aircraft with high-frequency operations to link tier 2 and tier 3 cities more efficiently and at lower cost. That idea positioned the venture as a new player in short-distance air travel, aiming to improve connectivity using leaner infrastructure and operating models.
The company now seems to be moving toward a broader strategy with the Sharang Shakti acquisition. LAT Aerospace, by investing in defence robotics and autonomous systems, is building technologies that could support a range of future aerial platforms, including advanced and next-generation aircraft.
Moving from concept to execution, the acquisition is the first clear step by LAT Aerospace with focus on creating a strong technology base that can support both defence programmes and future civil aviation projects developed in India.
