At least four companies, including Jio Platforms-owned Asteria Aerospace, Adani Defence and Aerospace, ideaForge Technology and Dynamatic Technologies have evinced interest in scaling up the manufacture or assembly of drones in the country, three people with knowledge of the matter told ET.
The development is in sync with India’s liberalised rules for the drone industry, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as a “landmark” moment for the country. The government is also evaluating a proposal to include the drone industry under its successful production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, sources said.
“We are in direct touch with drone operators and manufacturers. Many of them are interested in making or assembling it in India. There is an opportunity to make about 70% (in terms of value) of drone components in India,” a senior government official, who did not wish to be named, said.
“New Delhi is currently looking to select anchor investors that will herald the way forward for this industry, which holds huge potential now that the drone rules have been significantly liberalised,” one of the people said.
Asteria Aerospace, Adani Defence and Dynamatic Technologies did not respond to ET’s emails seeking comment.
‘Plan to use Drones in all Aspects’
Jio Platforms, which owns Asteria Aerospace, is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries while Adani Defence and Aerospace is part of the Adani Group.
Ankit Mehta, CEO of ideaForge, said India’s drone industry had the potential to attract more than $1 billion worth investments over the next five years, as it “becomes more operational and oriented towards exports.”
Soon after the Drone Rules, 2021 were notified on Thursday, industry bodies termed the policy “fearless” and said it would stoke entrepreneurship and create fresh jobs.
As part of the new drone policy, the government has liberalised approvals for the operation of drones and its manufacture.
“The idea is to use drones in every aspect – from farming to e-commerce deliveries. This is very much possible in India, and the government realises that,” the official said.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has created a Digital Sky single-window platform, which will act as a self-service enabler to register drones and comply with regulatory requirements.
Industry body Ficci, which had constituted a drone working group to prepare a blueprint to aid the government’s initiative for the drone sector, said use of drones would be “widespread” – including in defence, infrastructure, supply chain, healthcare, agriculture and mobility – in the near future.
“Nearly two-thirds of the investments (in this sector) are expected to come from local manufacturing. This, in turn, will aid the country’s Atmanirbhar plan for the drone sector,” said Rajan Luthra, chair of Ficci’s drone panel. “A PLI scheme will further strengthen the business case for such domestic manufacturing.”
According to a study conducted by Ficci, the total addressable market potential for drones in India is estimated at Rs 3 lakh crore, or $40 billion.
The industry body has recommended that the existing PLI scheme be extended to the manufacture of drones and their electronic parts. This, it said, would turn the total addressable market potential into an aggregate manufacturing potential of Rs 1.77 lakh crore by 2030, assuming an indigenization component of 60%.
https://m.economictimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/adani-ril-units-keen-to-scale-up-drone-production/amp_articleshow/85703514.cms