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Union Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan inaugurated Garuda Aerospace's new Agri-Drone Indigenisation Facility in Chennai on Saturday.
The launch also witnessed a dynamic live demonstration of agri-drones by highly skilled Drone Didis, showcasing Garuda Aerospace's commitment to fostering self-reliance and innovation within the burgeoning drone ecosystem. The Minister also inaugurated 300 Centres of Excellence and flagged off Garuda Aerospace's DGCA-approved Train the Trainer (TTT) programme. Supporting this milestone launch were key members of the Bharat Drone Association (BDA), Rural Development Ministry release said. Speaking on the occasion, Kamlesh Paswan praised Garuda Aerospace and its Founder and CEO, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, for their visionary efforts in making India self-reliant in drone technology. He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of transforming India into a Global Drone Hub can truly be realized through the dedication of innovative companies like Garuda Aerospace, the release said. He also lauded the Bharat Drone Association for uniting local component manufacturers under one roof at the Indigenization Factory, a state-of-the-art facility capable of manufacturing over one lakh drones in the next two years. The Minister expressed his admiration, noting that he has never seen 2,000 agri-drones in a single location, as he witnessed at the Garuda Indigenous Manufacturing Facility--a feat showcasing India's capability to lead in drone innovation and scale. Agnishwar Jayaprakash said PM Modi "gave us a vision in 2022 to manufacture one lakh Made-in-India drones by 2026". "We have delivered 4,000 drones so far, and are confident we will achieve this target in the next two years". Spread across 35,000 square feet, Garuda Aerospace's Agri-Drone Indigenization Facility is the country's first-of-its-kind hub for the design, manufacturing, and rigorous testing of advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The new facility marks the expansion of Garuda Aerospace's existing manufacturing unit and is a major leap in advancing drone manufacturing and skill development in India, the release said. The Train the Trainer (TTT) programme is Garuda Aerospace's flagship skill building and development initiative which is designed to empower educators and professionals to become certified drone instructors. Additionally, the strategically located 300 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) across India in collaboration with academic institutions and industry partners will advance drone innovation, research, and skill development through a strong partner network, the release said. (ANI)
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