New Delhi, Oct 19 The Indian Navy is working on bolstering its operational prowess in all domains, from air and underwater to AI and quantum technology, to become an all-rounded network force endowed with multi-domain capabilities, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar said on Monday.
During a curtain-raiser press conference held here ahead of Swavlamban 2026, the naval officer mentioned some of the lessons the force has drawn from recent conflicts in terms of technology adoption, and indicated that the Navy is exploring ways to acquire directed-energy weapon system — as a low-cost solution instead of firing a costly armament for bringing down relatively cheaper drones.
In April, the DRDO had carried out a successful trial of a laser-directed energy weapon system, joining a select group of nations having the new-age armament used to bring down hostile drones and unmanned aircraft.
Asked what new warships or other platforms are expected to be inducted in their timeline, the VCNS said, as far as ships are concerned, “we have 42 platforms which are on order. In addition, 78 platforms and 120 FICs (Fast Interceptor Crafts), with an estimated combined value of Rs 2.41 lakh crore, have received Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), and these are at different stages of procurement process.”
On a query related to Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), he said, “I’m glad to share with you that the RFP has just been issued for four LPDs, last week to the shortlisted shipyards. And similarly for the next-generation frigate, the RFP has been issued a couple of weeks before, and responses are awaited,” he said.
The Navy will host the fifth edition of its flagship seminar at the Manekshaw Centre here on October 26 and 27.
“Our collective objective remains consistent, that is to bring India’s technological talent and capability closer to the operational needs of the Navy, and translating indigenous innovation into practical capability at sea,” Vice Admiral Kochhar said.
Asked about the ongoing West Asia situation and the role of the Navy in protecting maritime interests amid this evolving conflict, he said, “Ongoing crises have kept us engaged, in terms of both thinking and deployment.”
He also referred to the Navy’s Operation Urja Suraksha, which has helped in safely escorting a large number of ships to Indian shores, amid attacks on critical sea lanes.
On the ongoing situation in West Asia and if the matter will come up for discussion during Swavlamban, the VCNS said every time a situation emerges, “we do discuss, and I can share with you that it is not only this Naval Commanders’ Conference), in many other forums, these challenges, and our responses for such situations are discussed.”
On Indian Navy’s direct role amid the West Asia situation, he said, “Our maritime interests lie far beyond our boundaries. And, therefore, it is the job of the Indian Navy to secure and protect our maritime interests”.
And, these crises have kept the “Navy engaged” in terms of both thinking as well as deployment.
The Navy has been following this concept of mission-based deployments for almost the last 9-10 years. Therefore, whenever there is a situation which “emerges in our area of operations, we are kind of well prepared to handle that situation because we have been operating in these areas. We are well aware of the geography, the challenges and the environment,” he added.
On the lessons drawn from the recent conflicts in terms of technology adoption, the VCNS said they have brought to the fore changes the naval force needs to adopt and imbibe, such as autonomous systems and artificial intelligence in war-fighting.
“If I look forward, it also includes counter-UAS (counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems), use of quantum technology, which is a field that will be unfolding very soon in the future. All these, we are very cognisant of,” he added.
The VCNS said conflicts alone do not shape the future of the navy and underscored the importance of technology for the force.
“Any force requires well-balanced, all-rounded development. Going just in one direction, I feel, will not be appropriate. So, as far as the Indian Navy is concerned, we are looking for development in all domains, whether it is air, sea, underwater, cyber, space, asymmetric and the new technologies. In keeping with this, we will further augment our platform-centric and capability-centric Navy, and for that, we have made a maritime capability perspective plan,” he asserted.
New technologies such as AI, cognitive and deception systems, niche technologies, advanced propulsion systems, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) technologies, drone and counter-drone systems, and also quantum technology, need to be inducted into the Navy, “so that our naval force become an all-rounded in multi-dimensional manner network force which endows us with multi-domain capabilities,” he said.
The very first edition in 2022 saw around 800 participants, and Swavlamban has grown over the last four years, attracting nearly 3,000 participants last year.
“Since its inception, Acceptance of Necessity has been accorded for projects worth more than Rs 3,500 cr, and contracts for nearly, or rather more than Rs 1,900 cr have been concluded. These figures reflect the growing interest and the participation of the Indian industry in addressing the defence requirements. They also indicate the scale of opportunity available to the innovators,” he said.
The VCNS said scale, sophistication, speed, and spiral development are the Navy’s “guiding mantras” and capture the direction in which it wants to move in terms of technology absorption with the help of initiatives such as Swavlamban.
For the Indian Navy, keeping pace with these changes is not simply about adopting new technologies, it is “also ensuring how we can develop, integrate and employ the capabilities needed to meet our operational requirements. And, all this has to be done with considerable speed and swiftness”.
On propulsion system development, he said, the Navy has already started programmes under the ‘Make’ scheme for developing an indigenous diesel engine.
To Navy’s partners in the industry and academia, he said, “Our message is clear — bring forward disruptive solutions grounded in operational understanding, supported by sound engineering, and a commitment to reliable delivery.
(PTI News)
