NIT Raipur opens drone and aerospace centre with AKSI as 1,364 students graduate
By TUF News Desk · Published 5 November 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
On November 3, the National Institute of Technology Raipur handed degrees to 1,364 students at its 17th convocation and opened a new Centre of Excellence for Aerospace and Autonomous Technologies on the same day. The centre will run in collaboration with AKSI Aerospace Group, a Hyderabad-based drone technology company.
Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the centre. Raipur MP Brijmohan Agrawal, CSIR Director General and DSIR Secretary Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Board of Governors Chairman Dr Suresh Haware and institute Director Dr N. V. Ramana Rao were present at the ceremony.
What students will work on
The centre will focus on drone platforms, flight control systems, propulsion, batteries, advanced materials and autonomous technologies. Students and researchers will work on prototyping, manufacturing, integration and testing, using real engineering problems from industry. The work is aimed at agriculture, logistics, surveillance and disaster response, where drones are already in use.
AKSI Aerospace builds drone platforms and subsystems, and it plans to set up a manufacturing plant in Raipur. The company says the plant would complement the centre’s research and skill development work by connecting technology development with manufacturing.
A convocation with placement numbers attached
The centre opened on the day of the institute’s 17th convocation at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium, with Reddy as chief guest. In his address, he said India needs indigenous technology for energy security and pointed to two funds backing young researchers: the Rs 50,000-crore Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the Rs 1 lakh-crore Deep Tech Research and Development Fund.
Reddy also said programmes such as the Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant, Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research, Artificial Intelligence for Science and Engineering, and the Critical Raw Materials Research Programme have opened new opportunities for young researchers. He added that institutions have introduced courses in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and green technologies to prepare students for new jobs.
The director’s annual report at the ceremony put the 2026 batch’s placement numbers on record. The batch received 821 placement offers, and the highest annual package was Rs 60.3 lakh.
The aerospace centre was one of several new facilities opened the same day. The others cover artificial intelligence, critical minerals, computational mechanics, space exploration, rural and tribal health, and nanoscience and sustainable energy.
For students aiming at NIT Raipur, BTech admission runs through JEE Main, with seats allotted in JoSAA and CSAB counselling rounds. The new centre gives applicants one more thing to weigh: whether the institute’s research facilities match the field they want to work in. Our guide on how to choose a university in India sets out how to make that call, with the course and department first. Updates from the institute are available through the official NIT Raipur website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new aerospace centre at NIT Raipur?
It is a Centre of Excellence for Aerospace and Autonomous Technologies, set up with AKSI Aerospace Group. It will work on drone platforms, flight control systems, propulsion, batteries, advanced materials and autonomous technologies.
When was the centre inaugurated?
On November 3, 2026, by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, on the day of the 17th convocation of the institute.
How many students received degrees at the 17th convocation of NIT Raipur?
1,364 students received their degrees at the convocation held on November 3, 2026.
What were the placement figures for the 2026 batch at NIT Raipur?
The batch received 821 placement offers, with the highest annual package at Rs 60.3 lakh, according to the annual report presented by the director at the convocation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new aerospace centre at NIT Raipur?
It is a Centre of Excellence for Aerospace and Autonomous Technologies, set up with AKSI Aerospace Group. It will work on drone platforms, flight control systems, propulsion, batteries, advanced materials and autonomous technologies.
When was the centre inaugurated?
On November 3, 2026, by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, on the day of the 17th convocation of the institute.
How many students received degrees at the 17th convocation of NIT Raipur?
1,364 students received their degrees at the convocation held on November 3, 2026.
What were the placement figures for the 2026 batch at NIT Raipur?
The batch received 821 placement offers, with the highest annual package at Rs 60.3 lakh, according to the annual report presented by the director at the convocation.
Sources: Outlook India, The Hindu BusinessLine, Vartha 24