Coromandel International subsidiary Dhaksha Unmanned Systems inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, on August 24, 2026. The expansion aims to strengthen indigenous drone capabilities across agriculture, defence, and enterprise segments.

Arjun Alagappan, Executive Chairman of Coromandel International, inaugurated the facility located in the Aymicheri region. The site will serve as a collaboration platform for technology partners to accelerate the development of an integrated drone manufacturing ecosystem under one roof.

New Product Launches

During the inauguration, Dhaksha launched two new agricultural drone models: the DH Agrigator E10 Prime and the DH Agrigator E10 Eco. Both models are developed with indigenous components.

• The E10 Prime aligns with the Namo Drone Didi programme and supports India's domestic drone ecosystem.
• The E10 Eco offers an affordable solution designed to expand access to drone-based farming services for small and marginal farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

Defence and Enterprise Expansion

The facility includes a dedicated production line for defence applications, including surveillance and logistics. This expansion is intended to strengthen execution capabilities and support indigenisation efforts by building greater control over critical technologies. Dhaksha is also expanding its sourcing and service ecosystem, including its network of service centres, to support growing operations.

S. Sankarasubramanian, Director of Dhaksha Unmanned Systems and Managing Director & CEO of Coromandel International, stated that UAVs are important enablers for India's transition to a technology-enabled economy. He highlighted strong interest in drones from the farming community and noted that product development is increasingly shaped by field-level feedback.

Corporate Context

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Private Limited is a technology-driven unmanned aerial systems company with roots in Anna University-MIT's Centre for Aerospace Research. It became an independent private limited company in 2019 and holds DGCA Type Certifications for multiple drone platforms. Coromandel International acquired a major stake in Dhaksha in July 2023.

Coromandel International, part of the Murugappa Group, is a leading agri-solutions provider in India. The company clocked a turnover of ₹31,827 crore during FY25-26. It operates 21 manufacturing facilities and more than 1,200 rural retail outlets across five states.

Coromandel International received a Goods and Services Tax (GST) penalty order of ₹12.35 lakh from the Jammu Commissionerate on August 20, 2026. The order relates to alleged excess availment of Input Tax Credit (ITC) for FY2018-19.

The Joint Commissioner (Appeals), CGST Appeal Commissionerate, Jammu, passed the Order-in-Appeal under Section 73 of the CGST/JKGST Act, 2017. The authority confirmed a tax demand of ₹1.23 crore along with the penalty and applicable interest. The action stems from a mismatch between ITC availed in GSTR-3B and ITC auto-populated in GSTR-2A.

Regulatory Response

The company disclosed the order under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. Coromandel stated it believes it has a strong case to defend on merits. An appeal has been preferred before the GST Appellate Tribunal, Jammu.

Financial Impact

Management indicated no significant impact on the financials, operations, or other activities of the listed entity. The penalty amount is minor relative to typical corporate cash flows, though the tax demand remains subject to tribunal outcome.

The company secretary, B Shanmugasundaram, signed the disclosure on August 21, 2026.