Bengaluru: German defence electronics leader HENSOLDT has reinforced its strategic commitment to India, signing two major agreements at Aero India 2025 to advance localised production and sensor technology co-development. 

With Germany expanding its Indo-Pacific engagement, the deals position India as a priority growth market for HENSOLDT, reflecting Berlin’s deepening defence cooperation with New Delhi.

The MoUs with Samtel Avionics and Raphe mPhibr mark a shift from direct sales to industrial partnerships, aligning with India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals. 

HENSOLDT’s push into India follows Germany’s recalibrated defence strategy, as Berlin seeks to strengthen ties with Asian partners amid China’s assertiveness and Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

According to Oliver Dörre, CEO & Chairman of HENSOLDT, India is among the top five markets for the company’s global expansion. 

“One strategic axis of our new vision is to grow with focus, and India is central to that ambition,” Dörre stated, reflecting on HENSOLDT’s NorthStar growth strategy.

Germany’s 25.1 per cent stake in HENSOLDT highlights its strategic importance, with Berlin actively supporting deeper technology collaboration between the two countries.

HENSOLDT’s agreement with Samtel Avionics, a leading Indian defence manufacturer, will establish a co-production facility for airborne sensor solutions in India. 

The collaboration will focus on developing and manufacturing Cavi Sight, a visual landing aid and video-switching system for UAVs and helicopters that enables precise landings in complex environments. 

Additionally, the agreement includes the production of Cavi Connect, a secure data exchange system linking airborne platforms with ground forces via LTE (4G), and LCR 100, a lightweight flight recorder integrating voice, data, and video acquisition. By leading localised manufacturing, Samtel aims to scale exports from India and strengthen the domestic avionics industry.

HENSOLDT has also signed an MoU with Raphe mPhibr, India’s largest UAV manufacturer, to co-develop an advanced landing aid radar based on Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology. 

MIMO radar enhances situational awareness, improving navigation and precision landing for aerial platforms. 

The system will be jointly developed in India, integrating Raphe’s rapid R&D expertise with HENSOLDT’s advanced sensor capabilities. 

A second agreement with Raphe focuses on the localised production of HENSOLDT’s advanced sensor payloads, further strengthening India’s defence electronics supply chain.

HENSOLDT’s expanded presence in India reflects a broader Indo-German defence shift, with Germany increasing its military-industrial cooperation in Asia. 

The 2024 India-Germany Defence Dialogue has outlined joint projects in radar, electronic warfare, and naval defence. 

Exercise Tarang Shakti 2024 marked the first-ever participation of the German Air Force in Indian military drills, reinforcing operational cooperation—Germany’s growing naval engagements in the Indo-Pacific signal an increased focus on maritime security collaboration with India. 

HENSOLDT’s strategic partnerships with Indian defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with the private sector, further underline its long-term commitment to India’s self-reliance goals.

With Aero India 2025’s business sessions now concluded, the company's focus on co-development and localised production marks a new phase in India-Germany defence ties. 

As India develops its indigenous military-industrial capabilities, HENSOLDT's investments could serve as a model for future Indo-German defence collaboration, setting the stage for long-term strategic partnerships in high-end defence technology.