India’s private defence industry is taking another step towards expanding its international presence, with Indian defence technology company IG Defence signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Oman’s MSA Global LLC to explore the joint development and localisation of advanced unmanned aerial and counter-drone systems. The agreement aims to create opportunities for defence manufacturing in Oman while addressing the growing demand for advanced security technologies across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
The MoU was exchanged in Muscat during the India-Oman Defence Industry Cooperation Seminar. Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, founder and CEO of IG Defence, and Colonel M S Atwal (Retd), chairman of MSA Global LLC, represented their respective organisations at the signing ceremony. The event was facilitated by India’s Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Under the proposed collaboration, the two companies will explore opportunities to jointly develop and manufacture three indigenous defence technology platforms from IG Defence’s portfolio. These include KAL, a long-range, one-way attack unmanned aerial system with a stated operational range of up to 1,000 kilometres; BAJ, an unmanned aerial interceptor designed to counter hostile drones; and JWALA, a micro-missile system being developed for counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) applications. The platforms are intended to support emerging operational requirements involving unmanned warfare and protection against aerial threats.
The partnership is expected to bring together India’s engineering and defence technology capabilities with Oman’s industrial infrastructure. Through potential local manufacturing and technology collaboration, the companies aim to explore ways of supporting Oman’s defence production ambitions while creating opportunities to serve the wider GCC market. However, the MoU represents an initial framework for exploring cooperation, and specific production schedules, investments and procurement arrangements have not yet been announced.
Speaking about the agreement, IG Defence CEO Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya highlighted the company’s ambition to take Indian-developed defence technologies into international markets through strategic industrial partnerships. He emphasised the importance of combining India’s innovation capabilities with Oman’s manufacturing strengths to develop defence solutions with broader global applications.
MSA Global chairman Col M S Atwal (Retd) also highlighted the changing security environment in the Gulf and the importance of strengthening regional defence manufacturing capabilities. The proposed partnership, he indicated, would provide an opportunity to bring together Indian engineering expertise and Oman’s industrial resources while exploring long-term defence technology cooperation.
The agreement reflects the growing role of India’s private defence manufacturers in international industrial partnerships and defence exports. As unmanned aerial systems and counter-drone technologies become increasingly important in modern military operations, cooperation between Indian and Omani companies could create new opportunities for technology development, local production and regional defence industrial growth.
The IG Defence-MSA Global agreement therefore marks a potential step forward in India-Oman defence industrial relations, with a particular focus on unmanned platforms and counter-drone capabilities. Its progress will depend on the outcome of technical assessments, further commercial discussions and the development of concrete manufacturing arrangements.