ValueQuest commits Rs 775 Cr to advance India’s defence, manufacturing push

ValueQuest Investment Advisors, a Mumbai-based investment manager, has made a total commitment of Rs 775 crore to three Indian businesses in defence technology, precision engineering, and power infrastructure.

The investment firm announced new investments in Sagar Defence Engineering and Rational Engineers and also added to its earlier investment in TASE Global. The Rs 775 crore is a portfolio commitment, not a single company’s fundraise.

Sagar Defence Engineering develops unmanned and autonomous systems for maritime and other defence applications. Rational Engineers makes specialised copper conductors and insulation products for power and distribution transformers. TASE Global operates in India and the United States, manufacturing precision components and assemblies for global original equipment manufacturers and Tier-I suppliers across medical technology, aerospace, defence and industrial markets.

ValueQuest says its private equity platform manages more than Rs 6,000 crore, including co-investments, and is building out SCALE Fund II.

The investment strategy reflects the wider shift in the manufacturing sector. Companies are diversifying supply chains and seeking to reduce dependence on overseas suppliers for strategically important technology and components. 

Ravi Dharamshi, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of ValueQuest, said, “The opportunity is not simply for India to manufacture more, but for Indian companies to develop the technology, capabilities and customer relationships to become globally competitive enterprises.”

Defence policy and procurement are helping drive this shift. The government reported that domestic defence production reached a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, with private firms accounting for 24%. Meanwhile, exports rose to Rs 38,424 crore.

The government is targeting annual production of Rs 3 lakh crore and exports of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029. It has also opened 25% of the defence research and development budget to industry, startups and academia.

Power infrastructure offers another source of demand. The National Electricity Plan envisages peak demand of 388 GW by 2032 and an increase in the transmission network from 5.09 lakh circuit kilometres in June 2026 to 6.48 lakh by 2032. This expansion should support demand for transformers and components, although actual orders will depend on project execution.

Aniket Dharamshi, Co-founder and Managing Partner, ValueQuest, said the firm was not rushing to deploy capital. “Our focus is not on the pace of capital deployment, but on identifying the right businesses,” he said.

Recently, ValueQuest’s Tristar Fund secured over Rs 2,100 crore in commitments within 15 months of its first close, exceeding its original target and greenshoe.