Shield AI Pitches Hivemind-Powered Drone Autonomy to Indian Military.

Sept 2025 : US Defence firm Shield AI has demonstrated its Hivemind autonomy software to the Indian Ministry of Defence as part of a campaign to offer the V-BAT unmanned aerial system to the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The effort allowed New Delhi to evaluate Hivemind integration on V-BATs for approval. 

As part of the demonstration in the mountainous Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Shield AI flew its Nova 2 quadcopter with Hivemind, showcasing autonomous and AI-assisted operations in GPS- and communication-denied environments. The three-day exercise featured hands-on flight training and system demonstrations for the Indian Special Forces.

“Autonomy will be a decisive factor in the future of defence, and India has made it clear that it intends to lead”, Managing Director for India at Shield AI, Sarjan Shah, said in a press release.

“With Hivemind, Shield AI is delivering proven, mission-ready autonomy that performs in the most demanding operational environments. These demonstrations represent a critical step forward in supporting India’s efforts to rapidly adopt next-generation capabilities that strengthen national security and support indigenous defence innovation”.

Hivemind is the core artificial intelligence system developed by Shield AI, designed to be trained for a variety of autonomous missions, including integrated air defence breach, reconnaissance, counter-air, beyond-visual-range strike, and maritime domain awareness. The system can steer the unmanned platform in the absence of satellite communications or human input, allowing it to operate effectively in contested environments prone to GPS jamming and signal disruption. Hivemind is designed for modular integration and multi-platform deployment, enabling partners and customers to rapidly develop, test, and field mission autonomy on diverse platforms.

New Delhi is reportedly evaluating the V-BAT for an initial deal of $35 million for the Indian Air Force.

Shield AI has partnered with JSW Defence, a subsidiary of India’s JSW Group, to locally produce the vertical take-off and landing system. Under the agreement, JSW Group will invest $90 million over two years, including $65 million in the first year, to establish a manufacturing facility, train a workforce, and develop a domestic supply chain. In addition to producing V-BAT systems, the facility will provide operator training and comprehensive maintenance and repair services.

Team Maverick