India is having a breakthrough moment in defence technology, with local startups and young engineers now creating techy gear like drones and AI-powered systems. Government reforms and big investments have turned the country into a place where defence dreams are made real, putting “Made in India” on world-class equipment.

Here are key details on Indian defence tech startups that received funding in August 2025:

EyeROV (Kochi)

• Focus: Underwater robotics and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
• Latest Funding: USD 1.2 million (~INR 10 crore) in a Pre-Series A round led by Unicorn India Ventures (August 2024), with continued funding momentum extending into 2025 for scaling defense applications.
• Overview: Designs underwater drones used for inspecting ship hulls, dams, and offshore platforms, now increasingly adapted for naval and maritime defense surveillance.

Optimized Electrotech (Ahmedabad)

• Focus: Long-range multispectral surveillance systems for border and critical infrastructure protection.
• Latest Funding: USD 6 million (~INR 51 crore) in Series A funding (April 2025), indicating ongoing investor interest in its defense applications through August.
• Overview: Known for imaging systems with threat detection up to 50km and collaborations with ISRO and DRDO for space and defense sensors.

Garuda Aerospace (Chennai)

• Focus: Drone manufacturing for industrial and defense use.
• Latest Funding: USD 12 million (~INR 100 crore) in Series B funding (April 2025), with steady expansion in both civilian and defense markets throughout 2025.
• Overview: Developed 30+ UAV models, with applications in reconnaissance, surveillance, and logistics for armed forces operating in hostile areas.

Big Bang Boom Solutions (Chennai)

• Focus: Anti-drone systems, smart munitions, ruggedized military hardware.
• Latest Funding: USD 30 million (~INR 250 crore) in venture rounds (September 2024), with further contracts and grants continuing into 2025.
• Overview: Maker of ‘Vajra Sentinel’ anti-drone defense systems, supported by large defense ministry contracts and DRDO grants.

NewSpace Research and Technologies (Bengaluru)

• Focus: Autonomous systems and swarming drones.
• Latest Funding: USD 52 million (~INR 431 crore) (March 2024), with increased funding activity observed in 2025 reflecting its core strategic value.
• Overview: Builds AI-driven swarm drones and autonomous systems for Indian Air Force and DRDO.

Tonbo Imaging (Bengaluru)

• Focus: Advanced night vision, thermal imaging, and targeting systems.
• Latest Funding: Notably received government contracts and consistent funding in 2025 for tactical imaging, weapon sights, and multispectral surveillance.

Meanwhile, HR tech innovator Darwinbox just raised $40 million from TVG, pushing its reach to over 4 million employees across 130 countries. Their software, trusted by big names from Starbucks to Nivea, helps companies care for people better through smart, easy-to-use tools that predict needs and spot problems early.

Both stories prove India’s progress is about more than tech: it’s about people coming together to build, solve, and lift each other up, for safety, for opportunity, for the future.

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