MS Dhoni-Backed Garuda Aerospace Private Limited Raises $1M to Scale Drone Production and Global Exports

Garuda Aerospace, the Chennai based drone tech startup backed by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has raised $1 million in fresh funding from the Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office (NSFO), with participation from existing investors including We Founder Circle (WFC).

Founded by Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Garuda is one of India’s largest drone startups, offering 30+ drone models and operating a fleet of 400 drones with 500+ pilots across 84 cities. With this funding, the company will:

Scale drone production from 8,000 to 12,000–15,000 units annually

Expand R&D efforts and strengthen in-house component manufacturing

Grow exports to 50+ countries by year-end

Deepen focus on automation and software led drone operations

Garuda’s core revenue channels include drone sales, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), and pilot training. The company has served 750+ clients, including Tata, Adani Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Swiggy, Flipkart, Delhivery, L&T Technology Services, and multiple government agencies.

70% of current revenue comes from agriculture, the most active drone use case in India. But Garuda is now entering defense, industrial services, and global markets — with plans to go deeper into the US and Africa.

“We're building drones for India, by India and now, for the world,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder & CEO.

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