Sagar Defence Engineering breaks ground on world’s first autonomous maritime shipbuilding centre in Andhra Pradesh

Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour (Andhra Pradesh), March 13. Sagar Defence Engineering on March 12 broke ground for what it described as the world’s first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh, marking a major step in India’s push to expand indigenous defence manufacturing and maritime technology capabilities.

The foundation stone for the facility was laid by Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Human Resources Development, IT, Electronics & Communications and Real Time Governance. The ceremony was presided over by Kavali MLA Dagumati Venkata Krishna Reddy and attended by Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, MLC Beeda Ravichandra Yadav, and officials including Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board chairman Damacharla Satya and CEO Abhishek Kumar.

Founded in 2015 by Nikunj Parashar and his team, the defence technology startup began from a small workspace in Mumbai and has since evolved into a developer of advanced unmanned systems across maritime, aerial, terrestrial and underwater domains. The company currently operates a 10-acre defence manufacturing and R&D campus in Pune.

A key element of its technology stack is GENISYS, a self-learning command-and-control navigation module designed to enable autonomous operations across multiple platforms.

The new centre has been made possible after the Government of Andhra Pradesh allotted 29.58 acres of land at Juvvaladinne in Nellore district, including 7.58 acres of waterfront area and 22 acres within the harbour. The site will provide direct sea access for construction, testing and deployment of unmanned vessels.

The facility is envisioned as a hub for the development, testing and manufacturing of next-generation autonomous maritime systems. It will focus on platforms such as unmanned surface vessels (USVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), intelligent navigation systems, maritime sensors, communication networks and command-and-control platforms for autonomous operations.

According to the company, the shipyard will incorporate advanced technologies including an AI-driven shipyard management system, digital twin simulations for vessel design and testing, robotic fabrication for automated welding and assembly, and additive manufacturing through 3D printing. Autonomous launch, recovery and docking systems will also be deployed to allow vessels to move from dock to sea using self-guided mechanisms supported by vision systems, lidar and GPS navigation.

By integrating research, engineering, testing and manufacturing within a single ecosystem, the centre is expected to accelerate development cycles and reduce reliance on foreign facilities for testing and validation of maritime technologies.

Beyond defence applications, the technologies developed at the centre could support sectors such as commercial shipping, ocean research, fisheries monitoring, offshore energy and disaster management.

The project also aims to assist fishing communities by enabling smart fishing fleet networks that connect vessels to satellite and cloud-based systems providing real-time fish location maps, weather alerts and fleet coordination tools. Autonomous systems could also help detect distress signals, locate missing boats and deliver emergency supplies in cyclone-prone coastal areas.

Speaking at the ceremony, Parashar said the facility would allow India to design, test and manufacture next-generation unmanned maritime systems domestically and position the country as a global hub for autonomous maritime technologies.

Lokesh said the project reflected the state government’s vision of leveraging Andhra Pradesh’s long coastline to develop the maritime sector as a key driver of economic growth while creating opportunities for coastal communities.

The centre is expected to strengthen India’s maritime defence capabilities, generate high-skilled employment and boost the defence manufacturing ecosystem while helping establish Andhra Pradesh as a hub for advanced maritime technology.

During the ceremony, attendees were shown live demonstrations of the company’s Naval Spotter Drone and UAV platforms, highlighting its autonomous surveillance and maritime monitoring capabilities.