Indian Navy Chief Dinesh K Tripathi inaugurated Sagar Defence Pune Facility.
Sagar Defence Liquid Robotics Pune Facility for Uncrewed Underwater System: Pune, India – December 5, 2025: Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd., a pioneering Indian defence startup, has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art facility in Pune dedicated to the manufacturing of Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs). This plant marks a significant milestone in the company’s collaboration with Liquid Robotics, a Boeing company, to co-develop and co-produce advanced maritime systems.
The opening of this facility is a direct result of the strategic partnership between Sagar Defence and Liquid Robotics, which was announced earlier this year. This collaboration aims to enhance India’s maritime capabilities and bolster undersea domain awareness, with the local production of the USVs contributing to India’s growing defence industrial base.
Strengthening US-India Defence Ties
The new facility is poised to play a key role in advancing the US–India Major Defence Partnership framework, which seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation on defence technology and manufacturing. The Wave Glider platform, a flagship product of Liquid Robotics, is one of the primary systems to be co-produced at this plant. The Wave Glider is designed to operate in harsh maritime environments for extended periods, enabling long-range monitoring and data collection for undersea domain awareness. This is an essential capability for both naval operations and environmental monitoring.
The establishment of this facility aligns with India’s broader efforts to build indigenous defence capabilities under the Make in India initiative, which aims to reduce reliance on foreign defence imports and enhance the self-reliance of India’s armed forces. It also plays into the vision of expanding industry participation across the Indo-Pacific region, positioning India as a hub for next-generation maritime innovation.
Capt Nikunj Parashar, Founder of Sagar Defence Engineering, expressed his pride in this significant development, stating, “This plant opening is a proud milestone for Sagar Defence and for India’s defence ecosystem. It reflects our commitment to Make in India by building advanced maritime capability locally. By partnering with Liquid Robotics, we are positioning India as a hub for next-generation maritime innovation.”
READ: Safran Launches LEAP Engine MRO Services in India
Sagar Defence Pune Facility.
A Strong Bilateral Partnership
The collaboration between Sagar Defence and Liquid Robotics is a testament to the growing strength of US-India defence ties. Salil Gupte, President of Boeing India and South Asia, highlighted the importance of this collaboration in realising the potential of the US–India Major Defence Partnership. “As India and the United States deepen their defence partnership, this facility shows how intent becomes reality. It advances the US–India Major Defence Partnership framework and supports Make in India by building capability locally while co-developing systems that strengthen bilateral collaboration in defence technology,” Gupte said.
The plant in Pune will serve as a critical site for the production, testing, and sustainment of unmanned maritime systems, with a focus on the Wave Glider platform. The Wave Glider is an autonomous, ocean-going vehicle designed for long-duration missions, including environmental monitoring, oceanographic research, and naval reconnaissance. By manufacturing these systems locally, India can accelerate the deployment of these advanced unmanned systems while reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.
Shane Goodenough, CEO of Liquid Robotics, emphasised the strategic significance of the new facility, stating, “The inauguration of the plant is a critical step in our collaboration with Sagar Defence. Building and sustaining the Wave Glider platform locally will strengthen undersea domain awareness and speed up deployment. Together, we’re combining Liquid Robotics’ product expertise with Sagar’s innovation to deliver operational capability.”
READ: India Signs $964 Million Deal with US for MH60 Romeo Helicopter Sustainment Support
Enhancing Undersea Domain Awareness
Undersea domain awareness (UDA) is an essential component of modern naval defence strategies, particularly in regions like the Indo-Pacific, where maritime security is becoming increasingly critical. The Wave Glider platform is ideally suited for gathering real-time data in challenging oceanic environments, offering capabilities such as persistent surveillance, oceanographic monitoring, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) support.
By co-developing and manufacturing these unmanned systems locally, Sagar Defence and Liquid Robotics are not only enhancing India’s defence capabilities but also contributing to the broader security of the region. The deployment of advanced unmanned maritime systems like the Wave Glider will allow India to better monitor its vast maritime borders and enhance its operational capabilities in the Indian Ocean region.
READ: Spanish Navy’s 2nd S-80 class submarine hits the water
Commitment to Innovation and Self-Reliance
The Pune facility is a significant step toward achieving the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India), which aims to develop indigenous defence technologies and reduce dependency on foreign imports. This collaboration between Sagar Defence and Liquid Robotics is a clear example of how the private sector and global defence leaders can work together to foster innovation, build local production capacity, and address the evolving needs of India’s armed forces.
Sagar Defence’s maritime expertise and Liquid Robotics’ global leadership in unmanned systems will combine to deliver next-generation solutions for India’s naval and maritime needs. The partnership will also foster the development of skilled manpower in the field of unmanned systems, contributing to the growth of India’s defence industrial base and creating high-value employment opportunities.
The opening of the Pune facility marks just the beginning of a promising collaboration that will continue to evolve over the coming years. By localising the manufacturing of advanced unmanned maritime systems, Sagar Defence and Liquid Robotics are positioning India at the forefront of maritime innovation in the Indo-Pacific region. The partnership not only strengthens India’s maritime security but also accelerates the country’s transition toward becoming a global hub for next-generation defence technologies.
This collaboration underscores the growing importance of the US-India defence relationship and its potential to drive technological innovation, economic growth, and regional security. As the facility ramps up production and the Wave Glider platform is deployed across India’s maritime operations, this partnership will play a vital role in advancing India’s strategic objectives in the maritime domain.
