New Delhi: An Indian defence firm has inaugurated a new plant in Pune that will manufacture Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs), marking a "major step forward" in partnership with a US company, which was announced earlier this year to co-develop and co-produce advanced maritime systems, an official statement said on Thursday.
The new plant underscores the shared commitment of Liquid Robotics, a Boeing company, and Sagar Defence Engineering to strengthening India's defence industrial base, it said.
It will manufacture USVs, marking a major step forward in the partnership with Liquid Robotics that was announced earlier this year to co-develop and co-produce advanced maritime systems, the statement said.
The USVs manufactured at this facility will enhance undersea domain awareness through local production and will build capacity for the Wave Glider platform.
Liquid Robotics designs and manufactures the Wave Glider - "the most experienced and proven USV".
Powered exclusively by wave and solar energy, "the Wave Glider stays on mission 24×7 for several months at a time, providing real-time data and communications for a variety of applications", the statement said.
"By enabling manufacturing, ocean testing, and sustainment of unmanned maritime systems, the partnership blends global technology leadership with India's innovation to deliver advanced solutions for complex maritime challenges and to position India as a hub for next generation maritime innovation," it said.
This "milestone" advances the partnership under the US-India Major Defence Partnership framework, facilitating undersea domain awareness, co-production, among others, expanding industry participation, and building production capacity across the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
"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, and by partnering with Liquid Robotics we are positioning India as a hub for next generation maritime innovation," said Capt Nikunj Parashar, Founder, Sagar Defence Engineering.
Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India and South Asia, said, "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," he was quoted as saying in the statement.
Shane Goodenough, CEO, Liquid Robotics, said the inauguration of the plant is a "critical step" in its 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, he said.
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