The US drone manufacturer Powerus has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Army covering drone technology and production. The agreement, signed on September 16, 2026, includes an initial order whose quantity and financial details have not been disclosed.
Powerus provides aerial and maritime drones for military and industrial applications. Under the agreement with the Pakistan Army, the two sides have discussed defence procurement, local production and long-term capacity building. The Pakistan military confirmed a meeting between a Powerus delegation and Field Marshal Asim Munir, although its statement did not directly mention the MoU.
Powerus is expected to merge with Aureus Greenway Holdings. The combined company is expected to have an investment from American Ventures, a fund associated with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. US regulatory filings identify American Venture Partners, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. among notable investors in the proposed combined company.
The regulatory documents cited in the source material put American Ventures' potential beneficial interest at approximately 9.9%. Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have been described as passive investors rather than participants in Powerus's day-to-day operations or negotiations over the Pakistan contract.
Powerus executives have also linked the company's business performance and technological capabilities to its commercial operations.
The agreement is therefore more precisely described as a deal between Powerus and the Pakistan Army involving a company that is proposed to merge with a business backed by an investment fund associated with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
Reports indicate that work is being considered on developing and manufacturing drone technology locally in Pakistan. However, the final production site, capacity and date for the start of manufacturing have not been publicly disclosed.
Claims regarding the selection of three potential military sites in Haripur, Rawalpindi and Taxila, as well as local production of suicide drones, should therefore be treated as reported information. The officially disclosed Powerus agreement does not confirm those specific sites or production capacity.
Powerus said the MoU provides a framework for expanded cooperation in unmanned and autonomous defence technologies. The memorandum is not a definitive agreement, creates no purchase obligation and is subject to definitive agreements, applicable US laws and regulations and government approvals.
The Powerus-Pakistan agreement comes as Washington and Islamabad are working to strengthen their defence and economic relationship. Reuters reported that the MoU included an initial order related to unmanned aerial systems, while the value and specific details were not disclosed.
Pakistan has long acquired military drones and other defence technology from China and Türkiye. A potential local-production arrangement with Powerus could provide Pakistan with domestic manufacturing capabilities for some technologies.
However, given Pakistan's existing military requirements and broader defence relationship with China, the agreement with Powerus cannot yet be considered a replacement for existing supply networks.
Drone use between India and Pakistan has already been a security concern. During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the Indian government said Pakistan attempted to target military installations in northern and western India with drones and missiles on the night of May 7-8, 2025. According to the government, the attacks were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems.
According to government information, the defence response involved multiple layers, including radars, command and control centres, air-defence guns and ground- and air-launched missile systems. The government also said that a major drone-and-missile attack from Pakistan on May 10, 2025, was defeated by Indian air-defence, counter-drone and electronic systems.
With changes in drone technology, counter-UAS capabilities have become part of India's security systems. The Indian government said Operation Sindoor demonstrated the operational use of indigenous UAV and Counter-UAS systems.
In July 2025, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said Operation Sindoor had demonstrated the operational effectiveness and strategic utility of indigenous UAV and Counter-UAS systems. He also emphasised the need for greater indigenisation in these systems.
If drone production capacity expands in Pakistan, surveillance, border security and counter-drone technology could become areas of continued focus for India. However, the strategic impact would depend on the actual production volume, types and capabilities of drones and their military deployment.
Powerus also has a commercial relationship with India. On June 30, 2026, Paras Defence and Space Technologies announced that it had entered into an exclusive intellectual property licensing agreement with Tandem Defense LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Autonomous Power Corporation, or Powerus, for the Guardian-1 Interceptor counter-drone technology.
Under the agreement, Paras Defence received exclusive rights to manufacture and commercialise the Guardian-1 interceptor system in India. The licence has an initial term of 12 months and is renewable by mutual consent.
Guardian-1 is a counter-drone interceptor system developed to address low-cost aerial threats. The agreement allows Paras Defence to manufacture and commercialise the system in India.
Powerus-linked technology is therefore being used in India for counter-drone capabilities, while the company has entered into an agreement with Pakistan covering military drone technology and potential local production.
The Powerus agreement with Pakistan should not yet be treated as a final sale or full-scale production contract. According to Powerus, the MoU does not create a purchase obligation, and further activities are subject to applicable US laws, regulations and required government approvals.
Large-scale production in Pakistan would therefore require further technical, regulatory and commercial processes.
Drone use in modern warfare is no longer limited to surveillance. Small UAVs, interceptor drones, long-range drones and autonomous systems are increasingly being used in military operations. Low-cost drones can also be used against more expensive defence systems.
The military tensions between India and Pakistan in 2025 highlighted the changing role of these technologies. The Indian government said Counter-UAS and air-defence networks played a role in countering drone and missile threats from Pakistan.
Any expansion of drone manufacturing capacity in Pakistan involving Powerus would therefore be relevant to India's surveillance and security planning. Its actual security impact would depend on production volume, drone capabilities, their use and Pakistan's military strategy.
The MoU signed between Powerus and the Pakistan Army in September provides an initial framework for cooperation. Further steps could include decisions on production sites, manufacturing capacity, technology transfer, US government approvals and definitive commercial agreements.
India is also continuing to develop Counter-UAS and layered air-defence capabilities. Following the military events of 2025, the Indian government has emphasised indigenous UAV and Counter-UAS capabilities.
The potential development of drone manufacturing activities involving Powerus in Pakistan can therefore be considered within the broader India-Pakistan security environment. The available information does not establish a definite future military outcome or provide a basis for predicting a future attack.
