Unique-First Indian startups picked for Indo-US defence programme, investor says

By Nivedita Bhattacharjee

BENGALURU (Reuters) -Seven Indian privately-held startups have been chosen for a first-of-its-kind India-U.S. house and defence collaboration programme, doubtlessly unlocking a profitable and strategic marketplace for Indian corporations, an investor who co-launched the challenge instructed Reuters on Friday.

The businesses embrace house imaging firm KaleidEO, rocket makers EtherealX and AI-driven firm Shyam VNL. They are going to take part in a programme for defence and dual-use know-how and discover alternatives to work with the U.S. Protection Innovation Unit, the Division of Protection and different authorities companies on satellite tv for pc statement and rising house and defence applied sciences.

Indian investor Indusbridge Ventures and U.S.-based FedTech, which established the programme in September 2024, chosen seven Indian corporations and talks are underway about particular initiatives.

“This programme provides invaluable sources, mentorship, and important connections with trade leaders within the U.S. and we sit up for partnering with FedTech on this initiative to speed up private-sector partnership between the 2 international locations in strategic sectors – defence and dual-use know-how,” mentioned Rahul Devjani, the managing accomplice at Indusbridge Ventures.

The startups will get entry to the world’s greatest defence and house market and doubtlessly work with U.S. defence trade leaders like Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC), Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) and RTX, two sources from the startups mentioned. They declined to be recognized owing to the sensitivity of the matter.

That would give them an edge in opposition to the competitors as they compete for U.S. enterprise of their niches value about $1.5 billion yearly, one of many sources mentioned.

The U.S. authorities our bodies didn’t instantly reply to emails looking for remark. The event and particulars of the programme haven’t been made public earlier than.

Lockheed and Northrop declined to remark, whereas RTX, previously often called Raytheon (NYSE:RTN), didn’t instantly reply to an e mail looking for remark.

Entry to the U.S. defence and house market, the biggest globally, might generate annual revenues between $500 million and $1 billion for the Indian corporations, the second supply mentioned.

Indian Nationwide Safety Advisor Ajit Doval this month met together with his U.S. counterpart Jake Sullivan in New Delhi to debate house know-how collaboration and the “deepening cooperation between the U.S. Protection Innovation Unit and India’s Improvements for Protection Excellence to speed up the adoption of cutting-edge industrial applied sciences for army options,” amongst different matters.