New Delhi: Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defence aircraft, January 28 announced that India has selected Shield AI to supply V-BATs to the Indian Army. Under the programme, the Indian Army will receive V-BATs and licenses for Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software, which will be integrated into the V-BAT platform.
In addition to the procurement of V-BAT aircraft, the deal includes the licensing of Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software development kit (SDK). Hivemind enables defence systems to sense, decide, and act, allowing autonomous platforms to adapt to dynamic environments, avoid threats, and complete missions without human intervention. The SDK enables the sovereign development, deployment, and evaluation of mission autonomy across platforms and will also be available to select Shield AI partners in India to develop autonomous solutions tailored for India, in India.
“Shield AI has been an early mover in investing deeply in India, forging strategic partnerships to bring sovereign defence capabilities to the nation,” said Sarjan Shah, Shield AI’s managing director for India.
“India’s selection of V-BAT and Hivemind for the Indian Army reflects a clear understanding of the resilient, expeditionary autonomy required by modern militaries operating across India’s diverse environments. V-BAT’s ability to operate without runways, deliver long-endurance intelligence at the tactical edge, and perform in contested environments makes it uniquely suited to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) from the Himalayas to India’s oceanic borders,” added Shah.
This deal builds on Shield AI’s ongoing commitment to India’s security and war fighting needs. In December 2025, JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd commenced construction of its facility for next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at EMC Maheshwaram, Hyderabad, as part of its strategic partnership with Shield AI to manufacture V-BAT domestically. This $90 million investment will enable large-scale production of V-BATs in India to serve the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and also function as a global production hub.
V-BAT is a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS with a ducted-fan design, more than 12 hours of endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine. Designed, tested, and deployed for the electronic warfare battlefield, V-BAT delivers ISR and targeting at significantly lower cost and logistical burden than larger Group 4 and 5 drones. Its single-engine, enclosed-rotor design enables safe, unassisted launch and recovery from ship decks, urban rooftops, and austere environments.
Under this partnership, Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software will also integrate onto V-BAT as an autonomous pilot, enabling AI-powered perception, cognition, and beyond-visual-range operations.
