Agriculture News, jobs

Startup Investment News

Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office Invests in MS Dhoni-backed IPO-bound Drone Startup Garuda Aerospace

Chennai, India, June 11th, 2025 — Riding a surge in defence-tech investments and rising drone demand, Garuda Aerospace, India’s leading drone manufacturing company, has secured investment from the Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office (NSFO) ahead of its planned Initial Public Offering (IPO). The round also witnessed strong participation from existing investors, including We Founder Circle (WFC). The investment marks a significant milestone in Garuda Aerospace’s growth journey, following the impactful “Operation Sindoor Defence Drone Surge.” This latest funding follows Garuda Aerospace’s successful ₹100 crore Series B round led by Venture Catalysts (VCats), further reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s vision, innovation, and execution.

Scaling Production & Indigenous Defence Drones

The strategic funds will play a pivotal role in advancing Garuda Aerospace’s ambitious growth plans. A key focus will be scaling up manufacturing capacity from the current 8,000 drones per year to 12,000 – 15,000 annually, with a long-term goal of producing 50,000 drones in the coming years. The investment will also accelerate research and development aimed at achieving full indigenization of both airborne and ground defence drone systems within the next 3 – 5 years, thereby reinforcing India’s self-reliance in defence technology. Additionally, Garuda Aerospace aims to expand its export footprint to 50 countries by 2025.

Founder’s Statement

“We are delighted to welcome the Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office as a strategic investor. Their belief in our journey reinforces our mission to build a global drone-tech champion from India. This investment powers our next phase of growth, focused on innovation, national service, and global scale,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace.

Defence-Tech Evolution

The recent Indo-Pak conflict has underscored the strategic importance of indigenous drone capabilities, placing companies like Garuda Aerospace at the center of India’s defence-tech evolution. Originally known for its agricultural drones, Garuda has rapidly transformed into a multi-sector manufacturer, producing advanced systems for surveillance, monitoring, and logistics payload delivery within the defence sector. The company has sold over 4,000 drones and served more than 400 clients, supported by strategic partnerships with global giants such as Thales, Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Cognizant. Its collaborations with key Defence PSUs like HAL and BEML, along with initiatives such as “Namo Drone Didi,” further highlight its commitment to national service.

With deep domain expertise, robust operations, a diversified product portfolio, and strong investor backing, Garuda Aerospace stands at the forefront of India’s drone revolution. Positioned for both domestic leadership and global expansion, the company’s consistent performance and bold vision signal strong readiness for its upcoming IPO.

About Garuda Aerospace

Garuda Aerospace is India’s leading drone-tech startup focused on disrupting two multi-billion-dollar sectors: Precision Agri-Tech and Industry 4.0. Asset-light and industry-agnostic, Garuda designs, builds, and customizes Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to eliminate labor-intensive tasks in agriculture and beyond.

  • Founded in 2015 with a 5-member team, now 200+ employees.
  • Largest drone fleet in India: 400 drones, 500 pilots, 84 cities.
  • Manufactures 30 drone types, offers 50 drone services.
  • Served 750+ clients including TATA, Godrej, Adani, Reliance, Swiggy, Flipkart, L&T, Survey of India, SAIL, NTPC, IOCL, and Smart Cities projects.
  • First Indian drone company with DGCA approvals for Type Certification & Remote Pilot Training Organisation.
  • Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an investor and brand ambassador.

Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched Garuda’s landmark Drone Yatra, flagging off 100 drones across 100 villages simultaneously. Garuda Aerospace’s mission is to positively impact 1 billion lives through affordable, precision drone technology.

For more information, visit www.garudaaerospace.com.

Copyright © 2025 · All Rights Reserved · IndiaAgroNet.Com