Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) seminar ‘Swavlamban’ in Delhi.
Swavalamban 2023
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the fifth positive indigenisation list of the Department of Military Affairs during the plenary session of ‘Swavlamban 2.0,’ a two-day seminar of the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation here in the national capital. Defence Minister released the fifth Positive Indigenisation List of DMA comprising 98 items. Highly complex systems, sensors, weapons and ammunition have been included in the list.
All these items will be procured from indigenous sources as per provisions given in Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 in a staggered timeline. He also launched 76 challenges for the industry under the 10th Defence India Start-up Challenges (DISC 10) and DISC 10 PRIME of Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and five problem statements under iDEX for Fauji.
Earlier in July 2022, PM Modi unveiled ‘SPRINT Challenges‘, which are aimed at giving a boost to the usage of indigenous technology in the Indian Navy.
Indian Navy Develops Indigenous Navigation System, Anti-swarm Drones
The Indian Navy has developed an indigenous navigation system and an anti-swarm drone, capable of building walls around its own warships or assets to protect them from any attack by enemy drones, said officials. Anti-swarm drone ammunition, Commander Indian Navy, MN Pasha said, “The speciality of this ammunition is it has 300 steel balls, on detonation, it will spread and create a wall of balls and it will destroy the drones. It is highly effective and completed lab trials.” These two systems actually represent the indigenization in its true sense as well as the total comprehensive integration for the Indian naval ships and submarines, added the Naval officer.
The Dronaam counter-drone system was displayed at the Indian Navy’s Swavalamban 2023 exhibition yesterday in the national capital. Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Navy is aiming to become Aatmanirbhar by the year 2047, adding that self-reliance is a strategic necessity due to the prevailing global scenario in the world.
Navy Brings Out Dual-chip Debit Card For Offline Transaction
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday unveiled a unique dual-chip debit card that has been developed primarily to facilitate naval personnel at high seas carry out offline transactions if required. The ‘SBI NAVeCash Card’ can be used in online mode (as a regular debit card) as well as in offline mode while at sea with no direct connectivity with banks, the defence ministry said.
•Singh unveiled the card at the ‘Swavlamban 2.0’ seminar organised by the Indian Navy.
•It is a one-of-its-kind dual-chip debit card developed by the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Indian Navy, the ministry said in a statement. “The card is a positive step towards the Prime Minister’s dream of Digital India with cashless financial transactions as it obviates the usage of cash onboard ships even in high seas,” the statement said.
