Kolkata: In a move to drive innovation and strengthen self-reliance in India’s defence manufacturing sector, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, inaugurated the third edition of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd’s Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme – GAINS 2025 – in Kolkata on Friday.
The initiative aims to leverage the talent and innovation of MSMEs and start-ups across India, aligning closely with national missions such as ‘Make in India’, ‘Start-up India’, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Open Challenge for Cutting-Edge Defence Solutions
GAINS 2025 will function as an open innovation challenge focusing on three core themes–
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Green Technologies
- Shipbuilding Efficiency Enhancement
These themes have been carefully chosen to address the evolving needs of India’s naval and shipbuilding capabilities, with the Defence Ministry looking to boost indigenous innovation in these critical areas.
Previous Editions Showcased Real Impact
The first two editions of GAINS have already shown tangible results–
GAINS 2023 attracted 50 proposals, with Smart Machines and Structures (MSME) and Bodkin Technologies Pvt Ltd (start-up) declared winners.
GAINS 2024 received 66 proposals, where Cloudmetica Technologies (MSME) and IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation (start-up) won for their work in shipbuilding and green energy technologies, respectively.
These outcomes have helped GRSE move forward with AI, robotics, and sustainable energy projects, which are now in development or implementation stages.
Top Officials Highlight GAINS’ Growing Influence
At the launch event, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh praised GAINS as a platform that is “stimulating innovation” across the Indian industrial ecosystem. He noted, “The themes of this edition are forward-looking, and I am sure this year’s scheme will bring in greater innovation in the declared thematic areas.”
GRSE’s Chairman & Managing Director, Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), described GAINS as a “success story” that benefits both industry and innovation. “Not only GRSE, but the Indian Startup Ecosystem has ‘gained’ a lot from GAINS. We expect to cross the 100-participant mark in GAINS 2025,” he stated.
Strategic Push for Atmanirbharta in Shipbuilding
GRSE’s initiative comes at a time when India is placing increasing emphasis on defence indigenisation and reducing dependence on imports. Through GAINS, GRSE seeks to identify and support breakthrough technologies that can be directly integrated into its shipbuilding operations for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
By bringing together start-ups, MSMEs, academia, and technologists, the scheme creates a fertile ground for real-world innovation in one of India’s most strategic sectors.
