SMPP Partners with KNDS to Manufacture Advanced Loitering Munitions in India
Teaming agreement combines technology transfer and indigenous manufacturing to support India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and meet emerging operational requirements of the Armed Forces
New Delhi / Eurosatory, Paris, France, June 18, 2026. SMPP, one of India’s leading defence and aerospace companies, has entered into a teaming agreement with KNDS, through its subsidiary SMPP Ammunition, to manufacture state-of-the-art Loitering Munitions (LMs) in India. The partnership aligns with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by combining technology transfer with indigenous manufacturing.
Validated in recent conflicts, these Loitering Munitions are designed to deliver high accuracy while addressing the critical operational requirements of modern warfare. The agreement was signed on June 18, 2026, at the Eurosatory Exhibition in Paris.
These Loitering Munitions include the VELOCE and RODEUR systems, along with the ISTAR family of drones, enabling a highly effective “search-and-destroy” capability. These systems offer the capability to neutralize high-value threats with exceptional precision and leverage a hybrid guidance system that combines a multi-constellation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver with an Inertial Navigation System (INS) to ensure accuracy across diverse terrains and combat environments. The fire- and-forget capability further enhances their effectiveness in complex operational scenarios, including precision strikes against strategic enemy assets.
Under the teaming agreement, SMPP and KNDS will focus on offering these Loitering Munitions to the Indian Army under the Make in India framework, strengthening India’s capability to address key operational requirements of the Indian Armed Forces. This agreement comes at a Jme when the Indian Army has a significant and urgent requirement for advanced Loitering Munitions.
SMPP and KNDS had recently signed a teaming agreement for the KATANA® range of precision-guided artillery ammunition on November 20, 2025, at the Milipol Exhibition in Paris. KATANA® is a 155 mm precision-guided artillery munition designed to deliver exceptional accuracy and extended range while addressing the evolving operational requirements of modern artillery systems.
