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Solar Defence launches Nagpur robotics and UAV facility to produce drones and defence robots, improving AI-powered defence manufacturing in India.
Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd. has started the development of a new robotics and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing unit in the MIHAN SEZ in Nagpur, India. This project will improve the country’s defence technology sector. The ceremony for the new unit was performed on March 7, 2026, and was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
According to Satyanarayan Nuwal, the chairman of the Solar Group, the new unit will be able to manufacture around 10,000 drones a year. The drones will operate within a range of 15 km to 1,000 km. The unit will also manufacture around 1,000 robots a year, which will be primarily for defence purposes. The firm plans to invest more than ₹12,800 crore in projects such as robotics, UAVs, and long-range missile technology. According to Nuwal, this investment is expected to happen over the next three to four years, while the development project is expected to take around 10 years under the Maharashtra government’s mega project and thrust policy.
The facility in Nagpur is expected to become India’s first AI-powered Industry 5.0 manufacturing ecosystem. The facility is expected to offer robotics, intelligent automation, and human-centric manufacturing technology to develop modern defense systems. In the first phase, it will focus on developing advanced components, electronic systems, and Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones for defence. The company aims to develop its first prototype robot within a year from this unit.
This project is based on the trends of AI-powered drone manufacturing for defence purposes, Industry 5.0 robotics manufacturing ecosystem in India, long-range military drones in India, autonomous defence robots for modern warfare, and next-generation AI-powered surveillance drone technology.
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