The Indian Navy hosted a curtain raiser press conference for the third edition of its Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) Seminar, Swavlamban 2024, today in New Delhi. The event was chaired by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS).
Scheduled for 28 and 29 October at Bharat Mandapam, Swavlamban 2024 will showcase the Indian Navy’s significant strides in innovation and indigenisation, alongside contributions from innovation partners and the Indian defence industry. Vice Admiral Swaminathan noted that this year’s event promises to be larger and more impactful than its predecessors, with a focus on technological advancements that are set to enhance India’s defence capabilities.
The VCNS also provided an overview of the Navy’s achievements and its forward-looking vision for achieving self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) in defence technologies. He highlighted that the theme for Swavlamban 2024—“Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation”—demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to fostering cutting-edge innovations to address the operational challenges of modern warfare.
The seminar will feature a wide range of activities, including the unveiling of challenges, the release of the Swavlamban 3.0 Document, and domain-specific sessions on advanced technologies. Discussions will focus on funding innovation ecosystems, and there will be a special session to recognize innovators who have made significant contributions.
In a significant development, Vice Admiral Swaminathan also launched the inaugural Hackathon Challenges for Swavlamban. This national-level competition aims to find innovative technological solutions to real-world operational challenges faced by the Navy. Participants will have the chance to collaborate and present their solutions across various technological domains, with the results to be announced during the seminar.
Swavlamban 2024 is poised to reinforce India’s commitment to advancing its defence capabilities through innovation and indigenisation, marking another step forward in the nation’s pursuit of self-reliance in critical technologies.(pr)