India selects V-BAT drones for Army ISR missions

India has selected Shield AI to supply V-BAT unmanned aircraft and autonomy software to the Indian Army, confirming a new defense procurement focused on autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.

According to Shield AI, the agreement includes delivery of V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing drones along with licenses for the company’s Hivemind autonomy software, which will be integrated into the aircraft. The Indian Army will also receive access to the Hivemind software development kit, allowing local development and testing of mission autonomy inside India.

The company said the software package enables autonomous systems to sense, decide, and act without direct human control, allowing aircraft to adapt to changing environments, avoid threats, and complete missions in contested conditions. The SDK is intended to support sovereign development of autonomous capabilities and will be made available to selected Indian partners for domestic integration projects.

“Shield AI has been an early mover in investing deeply in India, forging strategic partnerships to bring sovereign defence capabilities to the nation in line with both governments’ shared vision for a closely integrated U.S.-India defense supply chain,” said Sarjan Shah, managing director of Shield AI 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.”

The V-BAT system is a Group 3 vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft designed to operate without runways or launch infrastructure. It uses a ducted-fan design and heavy-fuel engine and can remain airborne for more than 12 hours, according to the company. The aircraft is intended to provide long-endurance ISR from austere locations, including mountainous terrain and maritime environments.

Shield AI said the platform is designed for operations in electronic warfare environments and can be launched and recovered from ship decks, rooftops, and unprepared ground. The V-BAT’s enclosed rotor allows unassisted launch and recovery without ground crew or specialized equipment.

Under the program, Hivemind autonomy software will function as an autonomous pilot on the V-BAT, enabling beyond-visual-range flight and onboard decision-making during missions. The software is already in use on other autonomous platforms and is designed to operate in environments where GPS or communications may be degraded.

The announcement follows earlier industrial cooperation between Shield AI and India. In December 2025, JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd. began construction of a facility in Hyderabad to manufacture next-generation unmanned aerial systems as part of its partnership with Shield AI. The $90 million facility is intended to produce V-BAT drones domestically for the Indian Armed Forces and serve as a global production hub.

According to Shield AI, domestic production will support India’s defense industrial base while ensuring supply security for the Indian Army. The company said the partnership aligns with India’s policy of expanding domestic defense manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports for key military systems.