New Delhi— Adani Group is planning to invest nearly ₹1.8 lakh crore in defence manufacturing next year, with a sharp focus on unmanned and autonomous systems, advanced guided weapons and artificial intelligence-driven military platforms, sources said. The move is aimed at strengthening India’s future warfare capabilities, where the conglomerate is positioning itself as a key strategic anchor.
Adani Defence & Aerospace made a decisive shift in 2025 from long planning cycles to rapid deployment, with several of its indigenously developed systems reportedly used during Operation Sindoor. Building on that momentum, the company plans to channel fresh investments into autonomous platforms across air, sea and land, along with advanced sensors, electronics, AI-enabled multi-domain operations and expanded maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and training infrastructure.
Autonomous systems, which rely on sensors, software and secure networks to operate with minimal human intervention, are increasingly central to modern warfare. In the air domain, these include long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. At sea, unmanned surface and underwater platforms are designed for maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures, while on land, unmanned ground vehicles support logistics, reconnaissance and perimeter security.
Sources said Adani Defence & Aerospace has emerged as the country’s largest integrated private-sector defence player, with capabilities spanning unmanned aerial and underwater systems, counter-drone technologies, guided weapons, loitering munitions, small arms and ammunition, aircraft MRO, simulator-based training and airborne warning and control systems.
During 2025, the company’s Drishti 10 UAVs were inducted into the Indian Navy and Army for long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Its counter-drone systems successfully cleared trials conducted by the Army, Navy and Air Force, while Agnikaa loitering munitions demonstrated resilience against electronic warfare. The ARKA MANPADS shoulder-fired missile system also reached tri-service deployment readiness within compressed timelines, sources said.
The company’s foray into AWACS platforms has positioned it as the sole private-sector player in this segment. Integration of Air Works and Indamer has created a significant defence-civil MRO platform, while the acquisition of FSTC has strengthened pilot and engineering training capabilities.
Sources added that Adani Defence & Aerospace is embedding sustainability through digital twins, predictive maintenance and modular design, while increased indigenous sourcing has enhanced supply-chain resilience. Looking ahead to 2026, the company plans to scale autonomous systems across domains, expand precision-strike capabilities, deepen its MRO and training footprint, and advance AI-enabled, multi-domain operational systems in line with India’s evolving defence investment roadmap.
