Amaravati, Mar 11 (TNT): To strengthening India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and advancing the nation’s maritime technological capacity, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh will lay the foundation stone for the worlds first Autonomous Maritime Shipyard and Systems Centre at the Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Bogolu Mandal of Nellore district, on Thursday.
The facility will be established by Mumbai-based Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited with the support of the state government and is expected to become a significant step toward strengthening India’s indigenous defence manufacturing and maritime technology capabilities.
The project will be developed as the world’s first autonomous maritime shipbuilding and systems centre.
It aims to promote advanced maritime technologies while also supporting the fisheries sector and strengthening the industrial and skills ecosystem along the Andhra Pradesh coast.
The facility will also enhance coastal surveillance, coastal security and defence preparedness.
In the first phase, the company will invest ₹45 crore, creating more than 750 jobs in areas such as shipbuilding, autonomous systems development, marine engineering, research and development.
For the project, the state government has allotted 29.58 acres of land on a lease basis at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour, including 7.58 acres of waterfront land.
Commercial operations are expected to begin by November 2026.
Mumbai-based Sagar Defence Engineering is known for developing unmanned marine surface vehicles and works with the Indian Navy, iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and other security agencies.
The proposed shipyard will focus on building, integrating and testing unmanned and autonomous surface and underwater vessels, along with providing lifecycle support.
It will also develop intelligent maritime systems, sensors and command-and-control technologies.
Officials said the project is expected to strengthen the blue economy, promote maritime innovation and position Andhra Pradesh as a hub for maritime robotics and autonomous shipbuilding.
TNT KNR
Leave a Reply