Redoubled focus on niche, disruptive technologies: Navy Chief Tripathi

Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Monday said that the Navy has redoubled the focus on the infusion of niche and disruptive technologies.

Highlighting the Indian Navy's technological advancement Navy Chief said, "We have been closely monitoring technological enhancement and the changing character of warfare. We have accordingly redoubled our focus on the infusion of niche and disruptive technologies - AI, ML, Robotics and Quantum Computing."

"Towards that, we have set up two special task forces under an RAdm rank Flag Officer, each whose task is to go into the defence ecosystem and look for the available technologies with startups, MSMEs and established industries in the country so that they can be inducted to enhance our capability and plug the gaps wherever visible in a limited time frame," he added.

Emphasising on Navy's Aatmanirbharta commitment Chief said, "Our forces have remained on Aatmanirbharta as we remain committed to becoming an Atmanirbhar Navy by 2047. We have been at the forefront of utilising various existing programs like Make II, iDeX, Technology Development Fund, and suo moto proposals to develop weapons, systems and equipment by Indian manufacturers."

Listing down the initiatives Navy Chief mentioned that the Third edition of Swavlamban was conducted at the end of October this year at Bharat Mandapam in coordination with DIO & SIDM, where a large number of partners participated along with - the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, CAPFs, DPSUs, PSUs, MSMEs, and Startups.

The autonomous surface craft 'Matangi' was flagged off from Mumbai and made its transit to Tuticorin, covering a distance of over 1,500 km.

"The Government has approved the construction of two nuclear power submarines to be designed and constructed indigenously, thereby showing faith in our in-house capacity, as well as in the larger defence ecosystem of the country. This will substantially galvanise many ancillary industries," added Tripathi.

"We have signed the contract for a Tri-Services case of 31MQ9B HALE RPAs (of which 15 will be for the Navy) to augment our surveillance capability. We have also inducted Drishti MALE UAV and many indigenous solutions are on the anvil for the induction of autonomous systems in all three domains. I am confident that they will bear fruit in the coming months and years," said the Chief further.

We successfully fired a DRDO-developed 1,500 km range anti-ship cruise missile, which will significantly add to the deterrence capability of our arsenal.