Indian Navy’s NIIO ramps up indigenisation to enhance self-reliance and Naval Defence

The Indian Navy has been ensuring the security of India’s maritime frontiers and achieving self-reliance in the domain of defence production for the same. Taking note of the Indian government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bhart’ Campaign, the Indian Navy established the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) in March 2019. Tasked with promoting self-reliance and indigenisation in the defence sector, NIIO is responsible for identifying and supporting innovative ideas and technologies from both the public and private sectors.

Notably, Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) functions as NIIO’s innovation arm and works in collaboration with Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) to carry out research and development (R&D) for disruptive and niche technologies for the Indian Navy. The bonhomie between NIIO, TDAC and iDEX is part of ‘SPRINT’, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Indian government which stands for, “Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through iDEX, NIIO, and TDAC.”

Tracking NIIO’s progress

The Indian Navy's Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) has been successful in promoting innovation and indigenisation in the Indian Navy. Here are some examples of the outcomes achieved by NIIO:

Development of Indigenous Torpedo Decoy System: The Indian Navy's Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), in collaboration with private industry, has developed an indigenous torpedo decoy system to protect naval ships from enemy torpedoes. The development of this system has reduced the dependence on foreign vendors and has enhanced the self-reliance of the Indian Navy.  

Development of Indigenous Sonar Dome: The Indian Navy's NIIO has collaborated with private industry to develop an indigenous sonar dome, which is a critical component of a warship's sonar system. This development has reduced the cost of procurement and has increased the availability of the sonar dome.  

Development of Unmanned Surface Vehicle for Surveillance: The Indian Navy's NIIO has developed an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) for surveillance purposes. The USV is equipped with advanced sensors and communication systems, making it an effective platform for maritime surveillance. This development has enhanced the Indian Navy's maritime domain awareness capability.  

Innovation Challenges and Hackathons: The Indian Navy's NIIO has been conducting various innovation challenges and hackathons to encourage innovative ideas from naval personnel. Some of the notable innovations that have emerged from these initiatives include the development of an indigenous autonomous underwater vehicle and an indigenous maritime situational awareness system.  

Indigenisation of Spare Parts: The Indian Navy's NIIO has been working towards indigenising spare parts and components for naval equipment. This development has reduced the cost of procurement and has increased the availability of spare parts, reducing the downtime of naval equipment.

 Image: Twitter/@IN_Vikramaditya

How does NIIO operate?

NIIO operates through a collaborative and integrated approach. The organisation conducts various innovation challenges and hackathons to encourage innovative ideas from naval personnel. These challenges provide a platform for naval personnel to showcase their ideas and innovations and work towards their development. Furthermore, NIIO collaborates with various stakeholders, including the private sector, academia, and research institutions, to promote innovation and indigenisation.

NIIO signs MoUs with various organisations to collaborate on various projects related to innovation and indigenisation. Meanwhile, NIIO is also responsible for providing funding and support to various innovation and indigenisation projects. It identifies promising projects and provides them with funding and support to help them progress towards commercialisation.