SMPP Drones and the Company's Vision for India's Defence Future

SMPP is broadening its defence technology ambitions through a planned investment in drone manufacturing and a growing portfolio of unmanned systems. The company is setting up a specialised manufacturing facility across Delhi and Bengaluru as it expands into SMPP Drones, loitering munitions, counter-drone systems and integrated battlefield technologies. Its June 2026 collaboration with European defence manufacturer KNDS is a key development in this direction. Under the partnership, the companies plan to manufacture VELOCE and RODEUR loitering munitions, often called SMPP Kamikaze drones, and ISTAR systems in India.

These unmanned platforms are relevant to defence requirements involving intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance. SMPP CEO Ashish Kansal has also discussed the wider role of long-endurance drones, high-altitude platforms and remotely piloted aircraft in supporting military operations. The company's expansion is rooted in an industrial journey spanning more than four decades. Founded in 1985 as a cellulose pulp moulding business, SMPP entered the defence sector through the development of combustible cartridge cases before expanding into ammunition and ballistic protection.

It later established capabilities in boron carbide ceramics, ballistic plates and bullet-resistant jackets, supplying protective equipment for military applications. Today, the company is seeking to build on this experience by connecting traditional defence manufacturing with emerging unmanned technologies. Its focus on SMPP Drones and SMPP Kamikaze systems reflects an effort to develop a wider portfolio of domestic defence capabilities in line with India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat objectives.

Related Keywords: SMPP Kamikaze , SMPP Drones, SMPP India

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