JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd. and US-based Shield AI have deepened their strategic partnership to indigenize and manufacture the V-BAT Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in India. Announced initially in November 2024, this collaboration entails a $90 million investment from JSW over two years, with $65 million allocated in the first year to establish manufacturing infrastructure, a global compliance program, and workforce training. The partnership aims to boost India’s defense capabilities by producing advanced AI-integrated drones locally, enhancing Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions with rapid deployment and autonomy, including GPS-denied operations. The V-BAT, already deployed by US Marine Expeditionary Units, is expected to greatly reduce Indian military response times from 10-15 minutes to under 2 minutes, accelerating decision-making against regional threats. This initiative aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat policy to strengthen domestic defense production and positions India as a global export hub for Shield AI technology, marking a significant shift towards co-development and indigenous manufacturing of sophisticated military systems.