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Informist, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025

By Avishek Rakshit and Anjana Antony

KOLKATA/MUMBAI – Solar Industries India Ltd. is targeting faster commercial production of kamikaze drones, unmanned aerial vehicle, and counter-drone systems once it gets the final approval for these products, Managing Director Manish Nuwal said Friday. The approval for these products resulting in commercial production is expected to boost the company's order book and revenue from defence products.

"We are going ahead on the qualification part quite well. It will take some more time. More time means a couple of quarters, where we will reach to the final qualification. And once we are through with that, we can expect the commercialisation of these products," Nuwal told sector analysts in a post-earnings conference call adding that he expects the commercial production of these products to happen at a "much faster pace."

Solar Industries is optimistic about its three products--Bhargavastra, Rudrastra, and Nagastra--aiding revenue growth of its defence vertical besides orders for Pinaka missile ammunition and other defence related explosives.

Built by two of its group companies, Economic Explosives Ltd. and Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd.,

Bhargavastra is an indigenous Indian counter-drone system designed to neutralise drone swarms. The system features a two-layered approach--unguided micro-rockets for area denial and guided micro-missiles for precision targeting. It can detect small drones up to 6-10 km away and has a range of 2.5 km for neutralising them.

Solar Defence and Aerospace built Rudrastra is a hybrid vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed for deep-strike capabilities and is also capable of precision missions and anti-personnel roles, including the use of airburst munitions.

The Nagastra--a variant of the kamikaze drone--is designed for precision strikes against hostile targets. It is an electrically propelled, fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle with a low acoustic signature, making it difficult to detect.

These three products are in the final qualification stage for procurement by the Indian armed forces, Nuwal said. 

Additionally, Solar Industries is planning to soon start production of 155 mm artillery shells for the armed forces.

For the current financial year, the company is targeting INR 100 billion of top line, of which the defence segment is targeted to account for at least INR 30 billion. Exports are expected to comprise INR 35 billion-INR 40 billion of the targeted total revenues. The company is also targeting to operationalise its plant in Kazakhstan by October this year.

Nuwal said although the early onset of monsoon led to lower demand of explosives, sales volume may improve October onwards. The company is targeting a 15% overall volume growth in the current financial year.

"Because of early monsoon and lower than expected heat wave resulted into lower demand for power and as a result it has impacted the coal mining as well," the top company official said.

Sales to Coal India comprise 13% of the company's sales and other institutional sales account for 14% of the top line. Revenue from the defence sector typically accounts for 20% of the sales.

At 1254 IST, shares of Solar Industries traded 3.2% down at INR 14,415.00 on the National Stock Exchange.  End

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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