Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) have announced a strategic partnership to manufacture Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in India for the Indian armed forces.
GA-ASI, a global leader in advanced unmanned aerial systems, brings extensive operational experience, while L&T contributes its engineering excellence, precision manufacturing, and system integration expertise in defence and aerospace.
The collaboration aims to deliver combat-proven MALE RPAS platforms manufactured entirely in India, featuring critical technology transfers and meeting indigenous content requirements in line with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
Under this partnership, L&T will serve as the prime bidder for the Ministry of Defence’s upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme, with GA-ASI as its technology partner. The programme will focus on producing GA-ASI’s MQ-series RPAS, which have logged millions of flight hours globally across surveillance and strike missions.
The alliance represents a key milestone in India’s journey toward a self-reliant defence ecosystem, bolstering Indo-US defence cooperation and advancing India’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
S. N. Subrahmanyan, Chairman & Managing Director, L&T, stated:
“This partnership offers India a unique opportunity to manufacture state-of-the-art unmanned platforms indigenously. We are proud to collaborate with GA-ASI, a global leader in this domain, and are confident this alliance will significantly enhance India’s defence capabilities and self-reliance in aerospace technologies.”
Dr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, said:
“We are honored to partner with Larsen & Toubro, a trusted leader in India’s defence sector. This collaboration underscores our commitment to India’s vision of self-reliance and indigenous manufacturing. By merging GA-ASI’s proven technology with L&T’s manufacturing strength, we aim to deliver cutting-edge MALE RPAS solutions that enhance the Indian armed forces’ operational readiness and strengthen the nation’s defence ecosystem.”