This demonstration was conducted from 12^th Aug to 14^th Aug 2025 in Himachal Pradesh using Shield AI’s Nova 2 quadcopter, equipped with Hivemind, Shield AI’s autonomy software. Over three days of hands-on flight training and system presentations to the Indian Special Forces (from both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force), Hivemind demonstrated fully autonomous as well as AI-assisted, human-piloted operation in GPS- and communication-denied environments.

“Autonomy will be a decisive factor in the future of defence, and India has made it clear that it intends to lead,” said Sarjan Shah, Managing Director – India, Shield AI.

“With Hivemind, Shield AI is delivering proven, mission-ready autonomy that performs in the most demanding operational environments. These demonstrations represent a critical step forward in supporting India’s efforts to rapidly adopt next-generation capabilities that strengthen national security and support indigenous defence innovation,” added Shah.

Hivemind is Shield AI’s autonomy software that empowers unmanned systems to perform complex missions in GPS- and communications-contested environments. Designed for modular integration and multi-platform deployment, Hivemind enables partners and customers to rapidly build, test, and field mission autonomy on a variety of platforms, including V-BAT, Shield AI’s Group 3 unmanned aerial system (UAS).

Nova 2 is a next-generation quadcopter designed to address 3D environments, providing unmatched autonomy for indoor (GNSS-denied) and confined-space operations. Lessons from the integration of Hivemind onto Nova quadcopters have informed the deployment of Hivemind onto larger platforms, such as F-16, MQ-20 Avenger, and V-BAT.

The series serves as a successful demonstration that Hivemind can indeed be integrated and can perform complex mission-autonomous behaviors on a variety of platforms. This achievement reinforces Shield AI’s role in strengthening India’s defence capabilities, while also expanding the company’s ongoing presence in the region. In November 2024, Shield AI announced a strategic partnership with JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd. to indigenize and begin manufacturing V-BATs in India, marking a significant commitment to boosting India’s defence capabilities.

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The collaboration brings together VU Dynamics’ innovation-led aerospace engineering with PATH Group’s proven executional expertise in large-scale infrastructure. By uniting complementary strengths – deep-tech product development and robust implementation capabilities, the two organizations aim to deliver high-performance, indigenous aerial systems for strategic applications, contributing to the national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Founded by Prof. Subrahmanyam Saderla, Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kanpur, and Dr. Sravanthi Saderla, VU Dynamics specializes in the design and manufacturing of next-generation aerial systems for defence and civilian use. These platforms are embedded with proprietary technologies that ensure long endurance, operational simplicity, and cost efficiency developed entirely in India.

Commenting on this development, Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, stated, “It is a matter of great pride that a startup incubated on campus by a young faculty member, Dr. Saderla, has attracted significant investment due to its innovative solutions in the UAV space. I am sure that this partnership will achieve great success, contributing towards our goal of creating impactful technological solutions.”

Prof. Subrahmanyam Saderla, Co-founder, VU Dynamics, remarked, “Our collaboration with PATH marks a pivotal step in scaling our aerial technologies for real-world impact. PATH’s operational depth and commitment to nation-building make them an ideal partner as we work toward strengthening India’s indigenous aerospace capabilities.”

Nitin Agarwal, Managing Director, PATH Group, said, “We’ve always admired the innovation emerging from institutions like IIT Kanpur. Taking these innovations to production scale is a major achievement. We are proud to support VU Dynamics and contribute to the national goal of technological self-reliance in defence.”

Anurag Singh, CEO, SIIC, IIT Kanpur, added, “This collaboration exemplifies the transformative potential of partnerships between startups and industry leaders. It is a powerful demonstration of how deep-tech innovation can be channelled into strategic national assets.”

This partnership, anchored by the support of SIIC, IIT Kanpur, one of India’s premier technology business incubators, demonstrates the potential of academia-industry collaborations in scaling deep-tech solutions to meet national priorities.

The PATH Group, led by Nitin Agarwal (Managing Director), Nipun Agrawal (Director), and Saksham Agrawal (Director), is a prominent player in India’s infrastructure sector. The company’s portfolio spans traditional EPC projects to modern Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models, including BOT, DBFOT, OMT, Annuity, and HAM. With operations rooted in Central India, PATH’s expertise covers the complete infrastructure lifecycle from planning and design to construction, IT integration, and long-term maintenance.

With this alliance, VU Dynamics and PATH Group are poised to drive forward the indigenization of critical defence technologies, laying the groundwork for a self-reliant, innovation-led future in Indian aerospace.

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INDIA: NIBE Limited, a pioneering name in manufacturing critical systems for the defense sector, proudly launched the OPX-Revilator, a state-of-the-art handheld explosive detection and identification device. Developed through DRDO Transfer of Technology to NIBE, the device was officially unveiled by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis during the inauguration of NIBE’s Missiles and Precision Machining Complex in Pune.

The OPX-Revilator is an embedded controller-based device designed for pre and post-blast analysis. It plays a critical role in identifying explosives in pure form, compositions, and even highly contaminated samples, making it an indispensable tool for law enforcement and security agencies.

The device operates on the principle of optical image processing, analyzing images of the reaction mixture formed between the explosive and a reagent. By simply collecting a sample—either directly or via swabbing—and placing it in the test tray, the device delivers accurate results with minimal human intervention. The OPX-Revilator can detect and identify over 20 types of explosives, including those commonly used by anti-social elements.

Commenting on the launch, Ganesh Ramesh Nibe, Founder and Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of NIBE Limited said, “The OPX-Revilator represents a major step forward in enhancing security and threat detection capabilities. Our goal is to provide security forces with cutting-edge technology that ensures swift and accurate identification of explosives, even in the most challenging conditions. This innovation reaffirms our dedication to public safety and national security, enabling proactive threat mitigation.” He also extended his gratitude to Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis for his unwavering support in strengthening security initiatives and DRDO for facilitating the technology transfer.

Furthermore, the device efficiently categorizes different classes of explosives, such as Nitramines, Nitroaromatics, Nitrate Esters, and Inorganic Nitrates. Designed for ease of use, it features a lightweight build, requires minimal operational expertise, and provides real-time identification of explosives on its LCD screen. The built-in user-friendly algorithm guides operators at every step, ensuring a seamless and reliable detection process.

NIBE Limited remains committed to advancing technology-driven security solutions, and the OPX-Revilator is a testament to its dedication to innovation, safety, and national security.

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Disclosing this here, I P Wadhwa, Managing Director Tafcon, organizer of ASM International India Chapter said that the MET & HTS 2024 is the most comprehensive business platform, supported and participated by several Indian Government Ministries and state Governments, bringing together PSUs, Industry Experts, leading Corporates, SMEs and Start-Ups besides varied Industry Associations from India and overseas.

Held biennially, the 3-day high-level conference will feature a brain-storming session where a distinguished panel of speakers from industry leaders, academia, and research personnel from India and abroad will deliberate on Advanced and Smart Materials and their processes and the latest advancements in Heat treatment technologies.

On top of it, there will be a special session in partnership with SIDM (Society of Defence Manufacturers) where thought leaders and key policy-makers across the armed forces, Government, and Private Organizations including R&D would detail and collaborate on reliable materials and technologies required to push the “Make in India” capability further.

Apart from 600 delegates from more than 15 countries, the event is expected to witness the presentation of 150 technical papers, 20,000 footfalls, and about 400 stalls. It will also have a dedicated Start-Up Pavilion and German Pavilion by VDMA.

The Indian defense sector has been at the cusp of revolution, with the country exporting defense equipment to at least 75 countries and defense spending going up by 20 percent in the last five years. Under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), infrastructure projects worth close to 1.4 trillion US dollars are likely to be completed by 2024-25 as India’s transportation and logistics sectors are poised to grow at a compounded rate of 4.5 percent in the next decade.

As for Alternate Energy, India, the US, Brazil, and China are in consultation to form a Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) to explore cooperation opportunities, with India aiming to pump in INR 8 lakh crore in green hydrogen which will replace 25 percent of ‘grey’ hydrogen by 2030.

 Several government organizations namely DRDO, CSIR, Indian Railways, NMDC, and Defence PSUs among others are likely to participate. As for the large corporates, mention may be made of the Tatas, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, JSW, Reliance Industries, Hindalco, Bharat Forge, and Suzlon Energy among others.

Elaborating on the significance of the event, I P W#adhwa pointed out that advancements in materials are integral to the future of manufacturing and hold the key to shaping the way products are designed and developed in powerfully unique manners – lighter, stronger, and more energy efficient.

The slated edition the 5th MET & 15th HTS, being co-organized by TAFCON, will be the biggest ever, offering excellent opportunities for all the stakeholders to showcase their latest innovations, new initiatives, technologies, machinery & equipment to a global audience.

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TASL is seeking candidates for the role of NC programmer with an experience of 4-8 years with a Diploma or B. Tech in CAD/CAM for their Hyderabad & Pune facility. Additionally, it is looking for ITI-Fitter & Apprentice candidates with 3-6 years of experience for roles in Operator Assembly and Painter positions for their Hyderabad Facility.

TASL is an equal-opportunity employer. It is committed to fostering an environment where employees can leverage their knowledge and experience to develop cutting-edge solutions using the latest technology.

With a strong portfolio of partnerships and joint ventures with leading global aerospace and defence firms, TASL serves as an integral partner in the international supply chain and, in some instances, a global single-source provider for leading defence OEMs.

The post Tata Advanced Systems To Host Two-Day Walk-In Recruitment Drive In Pune On This May 2nd And 3rd appeared first on NRI News.

The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Surendra Prasad Yadav, Joint Secretary (Land Systems), DDP, MoD, Government of India. Mr. Neelesh Tungar, Co-Chair FICCI Homeland Security Committee & COO, Bharat Forge Limited gave the welcome remarks followed by a special address by SK Rout, Director Operations, Munitions India Ltd, Mr. MK Gupta, CMD, Star Wire (India) Ltd, Partha Roy Chowdhary, Commercial Lead India, Lockheed Martin India Private Limited. Anil Kulkarni, VP and Head of Supply Chain Management at L&T Defence will deliver the vote of thanks. Mr. Praveen Kumar, DoG DOMW DOP Ministry of Defence also participated in the deliberations.

Mr. Surendra Prasad Yadav, Joint Secretary (Land Systems), DDP, MoD, Government of India, said that the pandemic had resulted in disruption in the supply chain in the defence industry too but the industry demonstrated a great level of agility. Self-reliance in defence is non-negotiable. Durable national security requires credible defence capabilities, development of infrastructure, strategic technology management, and establishment of a self-reliant defence industry at the forefront of government policy. After the clarion call by the Hon. Prime Minister on ‘Armanirbhar Bharat ‘ the country has aggressively moved in this direction of being self-reliant and a global supplier. Product-linked Incentive schemes have been launched by the Government to increase production in the country. This offers a great opportunity for MSMEs

In his welcome address inaugural address will include experts from the field including welcome remarks by Mr. Neelesh Tungar, Co-Chair FICCI Homeland Security Committee & COO said that indigenous defence and a vibrant defence ecosystem would require existing MSMEs to scale up and diversify the requirements in terms of quality, capacity, skillsets, and manufacturing capabilities. Large-scale system integrators like defence PSUs, and the private sector companies for OEMs are critical in terms of hand-holding and also looking at how we develop the whole ecosystem in our country.

SK Rout, Director of Operations, Munitions India Ltd, said that a number of conclaves have been conducted over the last year and this is the fifth such conclave organized at Ammunition Factory, Khadki. MSMEs have a huge role to play in the growth process. To succeed together we have to become cost competitive with on-time deliveries and the topmost priority being quality. We have ensured timely payments for the sustenance of business as well as technical support for our suppliers.

Mr MK Gupta, CMD, Star Wire (India) Ltd, said that manufacturing defence products require a variety of raw materials out of which certain materials are critical and strategic in nature. In order to achieve substantive self-reliance in defense manufacturing there is a need to reduce dependence on imports of these materials and to encourage domestic manufacturers through policy and procedural interventions.

Partha Roy Chowdhary, Commercial Lead India, Lockheed Martin India Private Limited. said that MSME and OEM relationship is critical. Referring to the restrictions on the import of critical materials in most countries, he said that we need to create demand and look at the supply side. Defence industry needs to have a secondary source like automobiles to supply these items and needs to certify the production. Innovation, quality, value chain, and holding of OEMs must be our focus.

Anil Kulkarni, VP, and Head of Supply Chain Management L&T Defence delivered the vote of thanks. He said that continuous efforts by the Government and all stakeholders are helping move us towards our goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by developing a capable supply chain which will also help us become an export powerhouse.

The conclave deliberated on various crucial topics including the Indigenisation of Critical Materials for Defence, Handholding of the SME sector to achieve indigenization of critical components, Prospects for Start-Ups, etc.

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