Finvolve and India Accelerator have made an undisclosed pre-seed investment in KshatraLabs, a Bangalore-based defense tech startup developing autonomous aerial interceptor systems for counter-drone use.

The investment comes after India’s military placed fresh orders worth US$1.5 billion for counter-drone technologies.

KshatraLabs said it will use the funding for research and development, engineering hires, certifications, and operations as it moves its systems towards higher technology readiness levels and field validation.

The startup said its HAWK interceptor is designed to detect and neutralise hostile drones at speeds above 300 km/h, with launch readiness of under five seconds.

KshatraLabs also said it has completed hardware-in-the-loop testing at 90 m/s, and engaged with the Indian Armed Forces for feedback on hard-kill systems.

KshatraLabs is entering a domestic market that includes Bharat Electronics, Zen Technologies, and Paras Defence. Broader counter-drone rules remain unclear even as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation oversees drones more generally.

🔗 Source: Finvolve