New Delhi: Indian deep-tech defence startup Sagar Defence Engineering has received an industrial licence from the government to manufacture surface and underwater vessels for military applications, marking a significant expansion of the company’s role in India’s naval defence-industrial ecosystem.
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The licence allows the Maharashtra-based company, subject to applicable regulatory approvals and licence conditions, to undertake activities including the design, manufacture, construction, integration, assembly, testing and supply of specified naval defence platforms and associated systems.
The development is particularly significant as Sagar Defence becomes one of a relatively small number of private Indian entities authorised to manufacture vessels for military users, including the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.
The new approval follows an industrial licence granted to Sagar Defence earlier in 2026 covering the manufacture of specified arms, explosives and ammunition. The latest licence represents a separate expansion into the vessel-manufacturing category
“This is a significant milestone,” company founder and chairman Capt. Nikunj Parashar said, adding that the licence would strengthen Sagar Defence’s ability to participate in strategic projects.
Founded around autonomous and unmanned technologies, Sagar Defence has developed systems spanning unmanned surface vessels (USVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for defence and commercial applications. The company describes its core focus as building autonomous maritime systems capable of operating with reduced or no onboard crews.
Its development of autonomous maritime platforms has already received support through India's defence innovation ecosystem. The company’s Sagarmala Parikrama demonstrated the ability of an indigenous autonomous vessel to undertake a long-distance voyage without human intervention, with the Indian Navy providing testing access and operational feedback.
The move into licensed military vessel manufacturing comes as navies worldwide increasingly explore unmanned and autonomous platforms for surveillance, reconnaissance, patrol, interdiction and other missions. For India, greater participation by specialised private firms could help expand the country's capacity to develop smaller, software-intensive and autonomous naval platforms alongside conventional shipbuilders.
The licence therefore marks more than a regulatory approval for Sagar Defence. It potentially gives the company a wider pathway from developing autonomous maritime technology to manufacturing complete military platforms, strengthening the private-sector contribution to India's drive for indigenous naval capability and Aatmanirbhar defence production.
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