The Indian Navy will release its updated indigenisation roadmap, named ‘Swavlamban 2.0’, next week, which will provide an update on what has been achieved so far and the way ahead, Vice Admiral Sanjay Singh, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff, said on Wednesday.
The Navy has surpassed its target set last year to develop 75 futuristic technologies in partnership with domestic Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and startups, and these will be unveiled at the second edition of the Swavlamban seminar and exhibition to be held on October 4 and 5, Vice Admiral Singh told mediapersons.
“These technologies and products are built at world-class standard but at a much more economical cost as they are built in India,” he added.
Futuristic tech
Last year, the Indian Navy had committed to develop atleast 75 technologies as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. “I am happy to inform you that the promises made last year have been fully met, and even surpassed in some cases, primarily through the SPRINT initiative [Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovation for Defence Excellence], the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) and the Technology Development Acceleration Cell,” the Vice Chief said. The Swavlamban roadmap also aims to collaborate, coordinate, and develop new technologies in partnership, he added.
Stating that the Navy has invested considerable time and effort towards realising this commitment, he said, “I can say with confidence that the Swavlamban initiative has gained critical mass, and is gathering momentum.”
Last year, the Navy received about 1,100 proposals from startups and MSMEs, in response to the SPRINT challenges. A total of 118 firms, all MSMEs, were declared winners, he said, noting that close to 100 new firms have now been brought into the defence eco-system for the very first time. “We are not working on the risk of failure but on the hope of success,” he added, commenting on the handholding of the startups fin order to develop “transformational” technologies.
Acceleration has been achieved not only in technology development, but also in procurement, he stated. “We have already obtained Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 12 such cases, worth close to ₹1,500 crore, and procurement orders for products worth ₹200 crore amongst these have already been signed. In the coming weeks, we are looking to conclude many more such contracts,” he said.
Fire-fighting innovations
Giving examples of some of the new technologies under development, some of them not available anywhere else in the world, Commodore Arun Golaya that since the NIIO was set up, naval officers have filed for over 50 patents. Over 150 products are being developed through partnerships.
One such product is a fire-fighting suit. Imported suits weigh about 18.5 kg, but a suit developed under the initiative has managed to bring the weight down to under 2 kg. Trials are ongoing for the product, which can be used by all three services and also in the civil domain, the Vice Chief noted.
Another product is a fire-fighting bot that has already been deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. An AoN was signed worth ₹225 crore for this, Cmde Golaya said. On the export potential that these products would have, Vice Admiral Singh said that the company was already getting queries from several other countries.
