South Africa tour of India 2019
India’s First Autonomous Maritime Shipyard Launched in Nellore
Andhra Pradesh has taken a major step toward strengthening India’s maritime innovation and defence manufacturing ecosystem with the launch of the country’s first autonomous maritime shipyard and systems development centre in Nellore district. The foundation stone for the ambitious project was laid by state Minister for Education, IT and Electronics, Nara Lokesh at the Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Bogole mandal.
The facility will be developed by Sagar Defence Engineering, a technology firm known for designing advanced autonomous maritime solutions. The project aims to establish a dedicated hub for building unmanned and autonomous maritime systems, which are increasingly becoming essential for modern defence operations, coastal security and ocean research.
The proposed centre will include a fully equipped autonomous maritime shipyard alongside a systems development and testing facility. Officials said the project is expected to play a key role in strengthening India’s indigenous maritime technology ecosystem and support the country’s growing defence and naval capabilities.
In the first phase of development, Sagar Defence Engineering plans to invest around ₹45 crore. The Andhra Pradesh government has leased approximately 29.58 acres of land for the project at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour, including about 7.58 acres of waterfront land that will be used for shipbuilding and marine testing activities.
The project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities in the region. Authorities estimate that more than 1,000 jobs will be created across various sectors, including shipbuilding, marine engineering, research and development, robotics and autonomous systems technology.
Officials believe the initiative will position Andhra Pradesh as an emerging hub for maritime innovation while contributing to India’s broader push toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the country’s indigenous technology development initiatives.
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