Sagar Defence Engineering achieved a historic milestone with the stone-breaking ceremony of the world’s first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre on March 12, 2026, at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh. The project marks a significant advancement in India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and maritime technological infrastructure. The foundation stone was laid by Shri Nara Lokesh, Hon’ble Minister for Human Resources Development, IT, Electronics & Communications and Real Time Governance, Government of Andhra Pradesh, in the presence of senior government officials and defence industry leaders.
The ceremony was presided over by Shri Dagumati Venkata Krishna Reddy, Member of Legislative Assembly, Kavali, and attended by Members of Parliament Shri Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy (Nellore Lok Sabha) and Shri Beeda Ravichandra Yadav, Member of Legislative Council. Other distinguished attendees included Shri Damacharla Satya, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board, Shri Abhishek Kumar, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board, and Capt. Nikunj Parashar, Founder & Chairman, Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd. The ceremony featured live demonstrations of the company’s Naval Spotter Drone and UAV platforms, showcasing autonomous surveillance and maritime monitoring capabilities.
Founded in 2015 by Capt. Nikunj Parashar, along with Mridul Babbar, Lakshay Dang, Saurabh Patil and Ankit Kumar, Sagar Defence Engineering started from a 150 sq. ft. workspace in Mumbai with a vision to revolutionise India’s defence landscape through unmanned and autonomous technologies. Over the past decade, the company has expanded into a pioneering defence technology enterprise with a 10-acre defence manufacturing and R&D campus in Pune, developing advanced unmanned systems across maritime, aerial, terrestrial and sub-surface domains. The company’s innovations are powered by its platform-agnostic Self-Learning Command & Control Module for Navigation called GENISYS, which enables intelligent, autonomous operations across multiple platforms.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh authorised the allocation of 29.58 acres of land at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Nellore district, including 7.58 acres of waterfront land and 22 acres of harbour land, enabling direct sea access for vessel construction, launch, testing and deployment. The company’s growth has been supported by key institutional and government initiatives including the MIS–DP World Prize in 2016 presented by Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, the National Startup Award in 2019 from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, and continued support through the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme. Investment from organisations such as ONGC and guidance from the Indian Armed Forces and DRDO enabled the development of cutting-edge technologies including Autonomous Weaponised Boat Swarms and Autonomous Underwater Swarm Drones.
The Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre has been envisioned as a transformative hub for the development, testing, and manufacturing of next-generation autonomous maritime systems. The centre will focus on developing platforms such as Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Intelligent Navigation Systems, Maritime Sensors and Communication Networks, and Command-and-Control Platforms for Autonomous Operations. The facility will incorporate advanced shipyard capabilities including an AI-driven Shipyard Management System that can automatically coordinate design, production, testing and maintenance processes while predicting material requirements, operational risks and project timelines.
Smart manufacturing technologies will strengthen the shipyard’s operational capabilities through robotic fabrication systems for automated welding, cutting, painting and assembly, along with autonomous material handling using robots and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). The facility will utilise additive manufacturing (3D printing) for rapid production of specialised components and spare parts. The shipyard will incorporate autonomous launch, recovery and docking systems, enabling vessels to move safely from dock to sea through self-guided mechanisms supported by vision systems, lidar sensors and GPS-based navigation technologies for precision movement and deployment.
Speaking at the ceremony, Capt. Nikunj Parashar, Founder & CEO, Sagar Defence Engineering, said the vision is to redefine how maritime systems are designed, built and operated. He stated that as global maritime operations increasingly move toward autonomy, this facility will enable India to design, test and manufacture next-generation unmanned maritime systems within the country. With the support of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the platform will accelerate indigenous innovation, strengthen maritime security and position India as a global hub for autonomous maritime technologies.
Honourable Minister Shri Nara Lokesh stated that the project is deeply personal, reflecting his commitment made to fishermen during his padyatra on those very roads to support them and transform opportunities for their families. He emphasised that the Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre represents more than maritime technology, coastal security or the blue economy. With India’s 7,500-km coastline and Andhra Pradesh having the country’s second-longest coastline, the maritime sector must become a major growth driver for the economy and coastal communities. The project is expected to generate significant regional and national impact, contributing to India’s maritime defence capabilities, supporting indigenous autonomous platforms for naval and security operations, creating high-skilled employment opportunities and establishing the state as a key hub for advanced maritime technology and manufacturing.
