Indian Navy sets up own organization, NIIO, to fulfill its technological requirements

The move is seen in consonance with the Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020.

Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation was launched by Rajnath Singh on Thursday. (Photo | Indian Navy)

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy has set up a Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) to bridge its technological gap through innovation and the involvement of both the academia and the industry.

Launched by the Defence Minister on Thursday, the Navy stated in its press release that the NIIO "puts in place dedicated structures for end-users to interact with academia and industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

The move is seen in consonance with the Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020 (DAP 20) which envisages the Service Headquarters establishing an Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources.

“Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI) and the new structures created will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation,” said Navy.

The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation.

• Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives,
• A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects,
• A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) through an online webinar in the presence of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath.

Going a step further, the Navy signed Memorandums Of Understanding (MoUs) with Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), Raksha Shakti University (RSU), Gujarat, Maker Village, Kochi and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).

Aiming to achieve self-reliance in aerospace and Defence sector the government of India announced setting up of two Defence industrial corridors with one situated in Uttar Pradesh and the other in Tamil Nadu.

Maker Village is a unique incubator which provides everything necessary for a hardware startup to innovate, design, and build a product.

The SIDM is the apex body of the Indian defence industry with a role as an advocate, catalyst, and facilitator for the growth and capability building of the defence industry in India.

An online discussion forum for engaging domestic industry and academic institutes was created in partnership with RSU and launched during the webinar.

A compendium of Indian Navy’s Indigenisation perspective plans titled ‘SWAVLAMBAN’ was also released on the occasion.