The Indian Navy conducted a curtain raiser press conference on October 19, 2026, for the fifth edition of its flagship Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Seminar, Swavlamban 2026, under the chairmanship of VAdm Ajay Kochhar, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. The annual NIIO Seminar Swavlamban is scheduled for October 26-27, 2026, at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, building upon the Navy's continuing efforts to translate indigenous technological innovation into operational capabilities and strengthen Aatmanirbharta foundations.
The seminar will bring together innovators, industry partners, startups, MSMEs, academia, investors, and Defence Forces to explore collaborative solutions for emerging maritime security challenges. VAdm Kochhar emphasized that Swavlamban has connected the Navy's operational requirements with Indian industry and academia's technological capabilities since 2022, highlighting the importance of developing niche technologies into deployable systems at sea for a Navy operating across extended distances.
The exhibition at Swavlamban 2026 will showcase indigenous innovations as success stories across thematic areas including Maritime Surveillance, Counter-UAS, Artificial Intelligence and Quantum technologies, NBCD (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defence), and Safety and Efficiency Enhancers. Engagements with venture capitalists and investors will form a key component, facilitating discussions on funding opportunities, scaling of promising enterprises, and commercialization of indigenous technologies.
The seminar will provide a platform for deliberations on future and emerging technologies with transformative potential to enhance naval operations. Panel sessions with SMEs will focus on self-reliance, strengthening the iDEX ecosystem, building resilient supply chains, fostering academic entrepreneurship, and highlighting startup journeys. Swavlamban 2026 will witness the release of three key documents: the Swavlamban 5.0 Document, the Compendium on Technology Imperatives, and the Naval Unified Systems, Ethernet and Tactical Utilisation (NAUSETU) Interface Standards. The event seeks to strengthen the Navy's collaboration with the innovation ecosystem for a future-proof force, aligning technological goals with modern warfare requirements.