Johnnette Technologies' JM-1 Loitering munitions (File photo)
Pune: Noida-based manufacturer of unmanned combat systems – Johnnette Technologies Private Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding with Munitions India Limited (MIL), a defence public sector undertaking under the ministry of defence, to integrate indigenous warheads into its loitering munitions and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs).
The agreement, announced on May 27 at Pune, is the latest in a string of public-private defence tie-ups that have gained momentum since the government began pushing for greater domestic sourcing of military hardware.
Under the MoU, the two companies will work on fitting domestically manufactured lethal payloads onto Johnnette’s JM-series loitering munitions – the so-called “kamikaze drones” that loiter over a target area before striking and on the company’s upcoming UCAV programmes.
Read also: Make-in-India boost -- Johnnette Technologies delivers more JM-1 loitering munitions to Indian Army
MIL, which manufactures ammunition, explosives and ordnance for all three Indian armed forces, brings production infrastructure and expertise in energetic materials to the partnership. Johnnette contributes autonomous flight systems and the airframe platforms already in service with the Indian Army.
What the deal covers
The agreement has two principal objectives. First, it aims to replace imported warhead assemblies currently used on Johnnette’s platforms with Made-in-India alternatives, which would reduce cost and improve supply security for the armed forces. Second, it sets the stage for jointly developing next-generation precision-strike munitions intended for the UCAV programmes that Johnnette says are in the pipeline.
Loitering munitions have drawn heightened attention globally since their widespread use in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East demonstrated their effectiveness against armoured vehicles and static positions at a fraction of the cost of conventional guided missiles.
The defence ministry has accelerated procurement of such systems through the emergency procurement route, and Johnnette is among the companies that have supplied them to the army under that mechanism.
Lieutenant Commander John Livingstone (Retd), the founder and chief executive of Johnnette Technologies, said the collaboration was aimed at ensuring “mission-ready, highly lethal combat solutions built entirely within the country.”
Livingstone, who founded the company in 2014 after leaving the Indian Navy, added that the partnership was consistent with the government’s broader push to reduce India’s dependence on foreign military equipment.
Background: the companies and their track record
Johnnette’s JM-1 loitering munition and JF-2 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone were on display at the 77th Republic Day parade in New Delhi in January 2026, alongside special forces contingents at Kartavya Path. The company says it delivered both platforms under the emergency procurement process, which allows the armed forces to fast-track acquisition of equipment during periods of heightened security concern.
MIL was carved out of the Ordnance Factory Board in 2021 as part of the government’s restructuring of the defence public sector. It now operates as a corporate entity under the ministry of defence and is among the larger state-run producers of ammunition and explosives in the country. The company supplies everything from small-arms cartridges to large-calibre artillery shells and grenades to the Indian armed forces.
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