New Delhi: The Indian Navy is set to host the fifth edition of its Swavlamban seminar in New Delhi on October 26-27 to showcase Indian-made defence technologies and promote Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence. The defence minister, Rajnath Singh, will attend the seminar as chief guest on October 26.
The seminar will be organized at Manekshaw Centre under the theme “Strength & Power through Innovation and Indigenisation”. It will bring together the armed forces, defence companies, startups, small businesses, academic institutions and investors.
An exhibition will highlight Indian-developed technologies for maritime surveillance, countering unmanned aircraft, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology and safety systems. The event will also feature discussions on how emerging technologies could be used in future warfare and naval operations.
The seminar will focus on helping Indian startups develop and expand defence technologies. Discussions will cover domestic supply chains, the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative and opportunities for investors to fund and commercialize new products.
Launched in 2022, Swavlamban aims to connect the Navy’s operational needs with technologies developed by Indian companies and academic institutions.
During the October 26 plenary session, Singh will honour industry partners for their contributions to defence innovation. He will also oversee the release of the Swavlamban 5.0 document and the Compendium on Technology Imperatives, which will outline the Navy’s technology priorities and opportunities for domestic development.
The Indian Navy is organizing the event with the Defence Innovation Organization (DIO) and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).
At the previous edition of Swavlamban, held in New Delhi on November 25, 2025, Singh called on Indian defence companies to reduce dependence on foreign equipment and strengthen domestic manufacturing. He urged the private sector to adopt a “profit-plus approach” that combines financial returns with national interest and strategic responsibility.
The 2025 seminar also saw the launch of the Sarathi app, designed to support the Indian Navy’s ammunition inspection and quality assurance processes, and Innovathon, a naval hackathon for developing solutions to operational challenges. An agreement was also signed between the Indian Navy, IIT Madras and Apollo Micro Systems to support the indigenous development and production of advanced armament systems.