Indian Navy bolsters defence in Pangong Lake with cutting-edge unmanned marine boats

India's security forces are poised to deploy advanced unmanned weaponized marine boats and undersea drone swarms to bolster security along its expansive coastline and critical regions, including the contentious Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh. This strategic initiative comes as the Indian Navy greenlights the acquisition of 12 autonomous weaponized boat swarms, an innovation developed by Pune-based Sagar Defence Engineering. 

Nikunj Parashar, founder of Sagar Defence Engineering, introduced these groundbreaking boats at the Naval Innovation & Indigenisation Organisation exhibition held at Bharat Mandapam. Parashar emphasized, "These boats provide naval forces with significant tactical advantages in both underwater and surface warfare, boasting multi-mission capabilities." 

Cutting-edge features 

These state-of-the-art boats offer an impressive 48-hour operating capability on a single tank of fuel and provide comprehensive 360-degree situational awareness. They incorporate ISRO's navigation system, NaVIC, in conjunction with GPS, ensuring precise navigation even when GPS signals are unavailable. Out of the 12 boats, the Navy will retain 10 for its operations, while two will be allocated to the Indian Army for Pangong Lake operations. 

Pangong Tso, a 134-kilometer-long saltwater lake in eastern Ladakh, has been under intense surveillance by both Indian and PLA troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Since 2020, China has notably increased its patrol boat presence in the area. 

Meeting operational needs 

In addition to the unmanned boats, the Navy has placed an order for 30 underwater swarms of drones, referred to as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), from Sagar Defence Engineering. These AUVs will play a crucial role in mine detection and countermeasure operations. 

Parashar elaborated on their functionality, stating, "All these AUVs communicate with each other beneath the sea. When a mother AUV identifies an underwater mine, it will send another AUV for surveillance and then dispatch an expandable AUV to neutralize the mine." 

Furthermore, the Navy has procured seven other types of drones, specifically designed for cargo lifting and medical evacuation purposes, to enhance its overall operational capabilities. This development signifies a substantial step in modernizing and reinforcing India's maritime security and surveillance efforts along its coastline and the strategically vital Pangong Lake.