Months before deal with Pak, Trump-linked US drone firm signed pact with India
US drone company Powerus had signed an agreement with Indian defence firm Paras Defence and Space Technologies for its Guardian-1 counter-drone system in June before entering into a defence deal with Pakistan in September.
Powerus is due to merge with Nasdaq-listed Aureus Greenway Holdings in early October, which has investments linked to US President Donald Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, through American Ventures.
On June 30, Paras Defence signed an intellectual property (IP) licensing agreement with Tandem Defense LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Autonomous Power Corporation, or Powerus. The agreement granted Paras Defence an exclusive, non-transferable and non-sublicensable licence to use the licensed IP in India to manufacture and commercialise the products.
The agreement predates Powerus's September engagement with Pakistan, when the US drone company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army that included an initial order related to unmanned aerial systems. The value of the Pakistan order and details of the equipment involved have not been disclosed, Reuters reported.
Under the India agreement, Paras Defence is to manufacture and commercialise Powerus's Guardian interceptor products in India. The licence has an initial term of 12 months and can be renewed by mutual consent. Powerus is to receive a licence fee and a share of net profits from sales in India.
The Guardian-1 Interceptor is described by Paras Defence as a high-speed, battery-powered counter-drone system developed by Powerus to combat low-cost aerial threats. Powerus's US regulatory filings describe its Guardian platform as a low-cost, high-speed counter-drone interceptor designed to defeat hostile unmanned aerial threats.
The India arrangement is a commercial technology-licensing deal and does not amount to an order or selection by the Indian armed forces. It gives Paras Defence rights to manufacture and commercialise the system in the Indian market.POWERUS AND ITS TRUMP CONNECTION
Powerus is the business name of Autonomous Power Corporation, a US company that develops autonomous drone and defence systems for military and commercial applications. It was co-founded by former US Army Special Operations veterans.
Powerus is due to merge next month with Nasdaq-listed Aureus Greenway Holdings under a deal announced in March this year. Under the proposed transaction, Powerus will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Aureus Greenway, while the combined company is expected to operate under the name Powerus Corporation.
Former Powerus shareholders are expected to collectively own about 83 per cent of the combined company's common stock after the merger.
Among the investors in Aureus Greenway are American Ventures, the investment fund associated with Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump. The Trump-linked investment has brought additional attention to Powerus following its Pakistan agreement.
Reuters earlier reported that the Trump sons have described their investment as passive and denied involvement in Powerus's operations or contract negotiations. Powerus executives have also rejected suggestions that the Trump connection played a role in the company's business or contracts.POWERUS DEAL WITH PAKISTAN
On September 16, a Powerus delegation met Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir. The Pakistani military said the discussions covered defence procurement, production and capacity building.
Powerus subsequently announced that it had signed an MoU with the Pakistan Army and received an initial order related to unmanned aerial systems, according to Reuters.
The company has not disclosed the value of the order or the specific systems involved, citing confidentiality and security concerns.
Powerus sees opportunities for joint US-Pakistan drone technology ventures and for expanding its presence in the country's defence sector, Reuters reported.- Ends(with inputs from Reuters)Published By: Prateek ChakrabortyPublished On: Sep 22, 2026 15:23 IST
