Salam Kisan (PRYM Solutions) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government and Microsoft to democratise agricultural drone technology.
A media statement said this MoU, which was signed at the World Economic Forum 2025, directly addresses the accessibility and affordability barriers that smallholder farmers face in India. Through this collaborative effort, agricultural drones will become a cornerstone of sustainable farming practices.
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Salam Kisan, which is leading the ‘drone-as-a-service’ (DaaS) initiative, will invest ₹300 crore over the next seven years to manufacture drones, establish training centres, and create a network of 2 lakh trained drone service providers (DSPs). These DSPs will earn sustainable incomes, with the potential to generate ₹5 lakh annually per entrepreneur, thus fostering rural employment among youth, women, and marginalized communities, it said.
Maharashtra’s co-investments
Supporting infrastructure development and training facilities in Marathwada, the Maharashtra government will co-invest ₹300 crore over seven years to ensure a seamless integration of drone technology into farming practices. This initiative aims to cover 5 million acres of farmland annually by 2030, directly impacting farmers’ profitability and sustainability, the statement said.
Leveraging advanced AI, machine learning, and cloud computing solutions, Microsoft will enable real-time data insights, predictive analytics, and precision agriculture recommendations. This ensures efficient, data-driven farming practices and enhances crop productivity, it said.
Quoting Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister, the statement said: “Maharashtra is leading agricultural transformation at WEF25 in Davos. Through this collaboration with PRYM Solutions, we are creating over 300 jobs in drone manufacturing, empowering rural communities. This partnership will enhance productivity, promote sustainable practices, and set a global standard for climate-resilient farming and rural development.”
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On the benefits of this pact by 2030, the statement said precision spraying and optimised irrigation will save an estimated 238 billion litres of water, and affordable drone services will reduce pesticide, fertiliser, and labour costs by 30 per cent. AI-powered crop advisory, crop calendars, and precision farming techniques will boost agricultural productivity by 40 per cent, enabling climate-resilient farming. The initiative will create 2 lakh rural jobs by empowering entrepreneurs to establish sustainable livelihoods as DSPs. These efforts will also promote climate-smart agriculture by minimising environmental damage caused by overuse of chemicals, it added.
