New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India is entering a “golden era of defence innovation” driven by young entrepreneurs and start-ups, during his address at the fourth edition of the Indian Navy’s Swavlamban seminar in New Delhi.
Focus on Indigenous Defence Manufacturing
Singh emphasized the need for India to remain proactive and future-ready in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. He highlighted the nation’s transition from a defence importer to a technology exporter, crediting innovators for this transformation.
Calling on the private sector to adopt a “profit-plus” approach, Singh urged companies to balance commercial gain with national duty and strategic responsibility. He stressed that private industry’s contribution to defence manufacturing should rise to 50% or more in the coming years.
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Strengthening Domestic Supply Chains
The Minister highlighted the financial and strategic costs of relying on imported defence equipment, stressing the importance of a strong domestic supply chain for maintenance, repair, overhaul, and spare parts. Strengthening local manufacturing, he said, would enhance capability, reduce costs, and ensure greater autonomy and reliability.
Singh encouraged private companies to focus on emerging defence technologies, assuring government support to overcome challenges. “India is changing, the defence sector is changing, geopolitics is changing. We too must change our thinking,” he said.
Swavlamban 4.0 and Innovation Showcase
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi noted that Swavlamban has grown significantly, from 800 participants in its first edition to 3,000 last year. The Navy accounts for 35% of the 565 iDEX challenges announced so far, strengthening naval capabilities and opening procurement opportunities across the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and CAPFs.
The seminar featured an exhibition showcasing innovations in AI, autonomous systems, communication technologies, quantum computing, stealth solutions, and smart ordnance, with nearly 80 MSMEs and start-ups presenting prototypes and products for naval applications.
Key Initiatives and Launches
- An MoU was signed between the Indian Navy, IIT Madras, and Apollo Micro Systems to promote indigenous development of advanced armament systems.
- The SARATHI app (System for Armament Review, Analysis, Tracking, Handling, and Indigenisation) was launched by the Defence Minister to manage the lifecycle of naval ammunition.
- The Navy also launched “Innovathon”, a hackathon inviting students, researchers, and developers to address maritime operational challenges such as swarm algorithms, encrypted network traffic systems, and satellite-aware maritime route intelligence tools.
Participation and Recognition
The seminar included sessions with foreign Naval and Defence attachés and presentations by the Technology Development Acceleration Cell. Ten iDEX winners were felicitated, and documents including Swavlamban 4.0 and the Armament Indigenisation Compendium were released.
The event was attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat, reflecting the government’s commitment to promoting indigenization, innovation, and private sector participation in India’s defence sector.
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