Amid rising demand for resilient battlefield drones, ideaForge secures ₹1-billion Army orders for its new ZOLT tactical UAV and SWITCH V2 hybrid platform.
Mumbai-based drone manufacturer ideaForge Technology has won defence orders worth about ₹1 billion from the Indian Army for its latest unmanned aerial systems. The company confirmed that the Army has placed a Capital Emergency Procurement order for its newly launched ZOLT tactical drone, valued at roughly ₹750 million.
ideaForge stated that this contract follows a series of demanding field evaluations. These included trials in electronic warfare environments and strict scrutiny of manufacturing origin. The company said the order strengthens the Army’s trust in its “battle-proven technology and innovation leadership”.
ZOLT, unveiled at Aero India 2025, is the firm’s newest tactical platform. It is designed for long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as precision payload delivery.
It features VTOL capability, fixed-wing endurance, and high resilience in contested signal zones. The system includes ECCM features such as GNSS-denied autonomy and resistance to communication jamming.
Furthermore, ideaForge has also received a separate order of nearly ₹300 million for its SWITCH V2 UAV. This VTOL hybrid aircraft, also introduced at Aero India, is already in operational service with the Army for ISR duties. Together, the two contracts take the day’s order value to around ₹1 billion.
The company said ZOLT is built for missions ranging from border surveillance and counter-insurgency to tactical strike support. It was conceived three years ahead of requirement to meet new battlefield demands, particularly those involving electronic warfare threats.
CEO and Co-founder Ankit Mehta said, “At ideaForge, we continue to strengthen India’s position in the global UAV ecosystem… Our investments in next-gen platforms, new categories, and GPS and communications resilience are paying off as we deliver on emergency procurement requirements from the Indian Army.”
