SWAVLAMBAN 2026: India Targets Advanced Defence Technologies and Stronger Domestic Supply Chains.
Rajnath Singh Calls for ‘Aatmanirbharta 2.0’ to Accelerate India’s Defence Self-Reliance.
Indian Navy SWAVLAMBAN 2026: India must move towards a new phase of defence self-reliance focused on advanced technologies, stronger research and development, affordable innovation and resilient domestic supply chains, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at the fifth edition of SWAVLAMBAN 2026 in New Delhi on 26 October.
Addressing the Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Seminar at the Manekshaw Centre, Singh called for an ‘Aatmanirbharta 2.0’ approach to build on the progress achieved in domestic defence manufacturing over the past decade. He said the next phase must prioritise sophisticated technologies, operational effectiveness and globally competitive products to support the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
The two-day seminar, organised by the Indian Navy in collaboration with the Defence Innovation Organisation and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), is being held on 26 and 27 October under the theme ‘Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation’.
The event brings together military officials, industry representatives, researchers, start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to discuss emerging technologies and ways to reduce India’s dependence on imported defence equipment.
What does ‘Aatmanirbharta 2.0’ mean?
Aatmanirbharta, or self-reliance, has been a central objective of India’s efforts to expand domestic defence manufacturing. The next phase, Singh said, must go beyond increasing the number of products manufactured within the country and focus on developing technologies that are advanced, affordable and capable of meeting demanding operational requirements.
The emphasis is on moving towards domestic capabilities in areas where India continues to rely on foreign suppliers, particularly for specialised technologies, components and raw materials.
Singh said Indian manufacturers must develop products that are cost-effective, operationally superior and competitive in international markets. He also highlighted the role of defence innovators with long-term technological vision and scientific discipline in achieving more ambitious goals.
The approach involves strengthening research and development (R&D), encouraging private-sector participation and improving cooperation between the armed forces, manufacturers and academic institutions.
The underlying objective is to build a defence industrial ecosystem capable of developing, producing and sustaining advanced military technologies within India, while improving the resilience of the wider economy.
Why resilient supply chains are a national security priority
One of Singh’s central messages was that supply chain management should be treated as a strategic priority rather than merely a technical or commercial concern.
Defence equipment depends on complex networks of raw materials, specialised components, manufacturing processes and technical expertise. If a critical input is unavailable because of geopolitical tensions, transport disruptions or restrictions on exports, production and military preparedness can be affected.
Singh highlighted rare earth elements and technologies that are not currently available domestically as examples of areas that can create external dependencies.
He called for a time-bound and adaptable roadmap identifying critical technologies, the industries needed to develop them and the resources required to achieve self-reliance. The roadmap, he said, should establish clear timelines for reducing dependence on imports in individual areas.
He also stressed the importance of assessing buffer stocks and domestic production capacity before a crisis occurs. Advance planning, he argued, would help India prepare for disruptions to international supply routes.
However, achieving complete independence across every component may not be immediately practical. Singh acknowledged that some external dependencies could remain until viable domestic alternatives or reliable sources of supply become available. The priority, therefore, is to identify critical vulnerabilities and address them systematically.
India Pushes for Defence Innovation as Rajnath Singh Highlights R&D and Indigenous Manufacturing.
Greater investment in research and development
Singh identified R&D as a key driver of the next phase of defence innovation. Developing advanced military technologies requires sustained investment, specialist expertise and the willingness to pursue projects whose outcomes are uncertain.
He argued that India needs to reconsider how it supports high-risk research, particularly where potentially significant technological advances may emerge from experimental projects.
Failure, he noted, is a normal part of the innovation process, including in countries with established research ecosystems. India must create an environment in which unsuccessful experiments are treated as opportunities to learn rather than reasons to abandon ambitious research.
Singh called for funding mechanisms that can support high-risk, high-reward projects and greater participation by private companies, which may be better positioned to take certain technological risks.
He also highlighted the importance of low-cost innovation. Smaller, affordable experiments can allow researchers to test ideas, refine prototypes and demonstrate whether a technology is viable before committing resources to larger programmes.
To develop a deeper research culture, he called for stronger collaboration between industry and universities, greater encouragement for innovation in educational institutions and more opportunities for young people to pursue careers in science and technology.
iDEX brings start-ups and MSMEs into defence innovation
The Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative has become an important mechanism for connecting emerging businesses with the operational needs of the armed forces.
According to Singh, more than 4,000 proposals have been submitted against 229 challenges issued by the Indian Navy. These figures, he said, demonstrate the interest among Indian entrepreneurs and the country’s potential to develop solutions in areas previously served by imports.
Start-ups and MSMEs have developed technologies for naval systems, sensors, communications and other specialised applications by responding to challenges identified by military users.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan provided further details on the initiative’s growth. Since SWAVLAMBAN began in 2022, Navy-specific iDEX challenges have increased from 20 to 229, accounting for approximately 35% of all iDEX challenges across the defence sector.
He also reported that 41 Acceptance of Necessity cases, valued at more than US$36.84 million (Rs 350 crore), had been approved, while 25 contracts worth more than US$20 million (Rs 190 crore) had been signed.
These figures illustrate the progress from identifying technological requirements to moving indigenous solutions towards procurement. Acceptance of Necessity is an initial approval in the acquisition process and does not itself mean a contract has been signed. The contracts cited by the Navy represent a separate stage of progress.
For start-ups, the challenge is to turn promising prototypes into dependable products that can meet military standards, be manufactured at scale and receive long-term technical support.
India Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.
Naval modernisation and dual-use technologies
Singh noted that demand for naval ships is increasing amid an evolving security environment in the Indian Ocean Region. Because shipbuilding requires substantial capital investment, he called for approaches that can reduce costs while expanding domestic production.
He also highlighted the need to address remaining areas of import dependence, including Buyer Nominated Equipment, which refers to equipment specified by the buyer for inclusion in a procurement or platform.
To broaden the scope of indigenisation, he proposed a ‘Dual Technology Roadmap’ identifying technologies that could serve both civilian and military purposes.
Such technologies may have applications in commercial shipping, maritime surveillance, navigation, communications and other sectors, as well as naval operations. Developing shared technologies could expand domestic demand and create opportunities for manufacturers beyond defence procurement alone.
Singh also called for identifying systems that could be used across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard. Shared technological solutions could reduce duplication, improve compatibility and strengthen coordination between the services.
He described this approach as a technological extension of inter-service jointness, linking common technological development with closer cooperation among the armed forces.
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AI, quantum technology and autonomous systems
SWAVLAMBAN 2026 also placed emerging technologies at the centre of discussions on future military capabilities.
The technology exhibition featured more than 100 stalls showcasing products and projects developed by start-ups and MSMEs to address naval requirements.
Demonstrations and displays covered autonomous maritime platforms, artificial intelligence in war-fighting, quantum technologies, persistent surveillance, resilient navigation, advanced communications and counter-drone systems. The seminar also included discussions on hypersonic technologies and their potential military applications.
These technologies could influence how armed forces gather intelligence, navigate in contested environments, coordinate operations and respond to emerging threats. However, translating experimental systems into operational capabilities requires extensive testing, reliable performance and sustained support throughout their service lives.
Admiral Swaminathan identified five areas requiring attention to accelerate the development of indigenous capabilities: ideation, prototyping, testing, contracting and induction, and life-cycle support.
The sequence highlights a key challenge for defence innovation. Developing a promising technology is only the beginning; it must also be tested, procured, integrated into military operations and maintained over time.
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Turning innovation into operational capability
During the seminar, Singh released the ‘Compendium of Technology Imperatives, Problem Statements and Future Concepts’ and the ‘Swavlamban 5.0’ document, which outline naval priorities and potential development opportunities for industry. He also recognised speakers and iDEX innovators for their contributions.
Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar urged stakeholders to move from competition towards collaboration, highlighting the importance of bringing industry, researchers and the armed forces together to strengthen domestic technological capabilities.
The broader message of SWAVLAMBAN 2026 is that defence self-reliance cannot be measured solely by the number of products manufactured in India. It also depends on the ability to develop advanced technologies, secure essential supplies, support domestic research and turn innovation into equipment that military personnel can rely on.
The proposed ‘Aatmanirbharta 2.0’ approach seeks to address these interconnected challenges. Its progress will depend on sustained funding, effective partnerships, successful testing and the ability of Indian companies to deliver reliable products at competitive costs.
For India, the next stage of defence indigenisation will therefore involve not only manufacturing more equipment at home but also developing the technological expertise and industrial resilience needed to support the armed forces over the long term.
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