New Delhi [India], October 26 : Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said the Indian Navy must speed up the process of turning promising ideas into operational capabilities, as he outlined a five-point roadmap for industry, MSMEs and startups at the fifth edition of Swavlamban, the Navy’s annual flagship seminar on innovation and indigenisation in naval defence technology.
Welcoming Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, industry partners, MSMEs, startups and innovators, the CNS thanked the Minister for his continued encouragement of the initiative, saying it had been key to strengthening indigenous defence capabilities and advancing self-reliance. He also appreciated the Defence Innovation Organisation under the Defence Ministry and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers for supporting the forum.
Highlighting the growth of Swavlamban since its inception in 2022, the CNS said the number of Navy-specific Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) challenges had risen more than tenfold, from 20 in 2022 to 229 now. This is about 35 per cent of all iDEX challenges across the defence sector.
So far, 41 Acceptances of Necessity (AoNs) worth over Rs 3,500 crore have been accorded, while 25 contracts valued at over Rs 1,900 crore have been signed. Visitor participation has also nearly quadrupled, from around 800 in the inaugural edition to about 3,000 last year.
He credited this progress to the innovation, enterprise and commitment of industry partners, MSMEs and startups, and congratulated all stakeholders, including the iDEX challenge winners.
Looking ahead, the CNS said rapid advances in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robotics and quantum sensing offer opportunities to reimagine and reinforce naval capabilities. He stressed that the aim should be to harness these advances quickly and convert promising innovations into operational advantage. To succeed on the path of self-reliance, he said, the country must set the highest standards for itself, assess its work honestly and remain firm in its efforts.
Pointing to this year’s theme, “Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation”, he said it underscores the need to stay ahead of the technological curve and translate innovation into operational capability.
Calling for sustained momentum, the CNS said the effort must be to develop an innovation ecosystem aligned with the evolving operational requirements of the Army, Navy and Air Force. He expressed confidence that discussions at the seminar would generate fresh ideas, strengthen partnerships and help translate technological innovation into tangible outcomes on the battlefield.