Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Indian Navy and Apollo Micro Systems Limited to fast-track the indigenous development of cutting-edge defence technologies.

A Joint Development Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally exchanged in the presence of Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during the Indian Navy’s ‘Swavalamban 2025’ event held in Delhi on 25th November 2025.

The tri-partite alliance brings together the academic R&D leadership of IIT Madras, the field-driven requirements of the Indian Navy, and the industrial engineering and manufacturing capabilities of Apollo Micro Systems to create a unified innovation ecosystem supporting India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision in defence.

Highlighting the outcomes from this collaboration, Prof. PA Ramakrishna, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, who is coordinating this project, said, “This strategic MoU establishes a collaborative framework to jointly address current and emerging technological problem statements of the Armed Forces. The partnership is designed to accelerate the transition of laboratory innovations into real-world, deployment-ready products tailored for the Nation’s defence needs.”

Successful outcomes from this partnership will contribute significantly to the Ministry of Defence’s targets for self-reliance in critical and strategically sensitive technologies, strengthening India’s position as a global defence innovation hub.

Speaking about this collaboration, Mr. Karunakar Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Micro Systems Limited, said, “This strategic understanding serves as a gateway to solving some of the most critical problem statements of our Armed Forces in a comprehensive manner. The synergy between IIT Madras’ research excellence, our manufacturing strength and DGNAI’s operational role creates a powerful ecosystem for defence indigenisation.”

The alliance is expected to focus on multiple critical technology areas, including:

O Advanced electronic warfare

O Precision guidance and navigation

O High-energy armament systems

O Emerging high-technology solutions across domains

Serving as the Research Anchor, IIT Madras will lead the development of fundamental research, advanced concepts, and intellectual property (IP). The institute will drive early-stage design, prototyping and future-focused technological solutions across multi-domain defence applications.

The Directorate General of Naval Armament Inspection (DGNAI) – Indian Navy will contribute mission-critical operational knowledge, user requirements and test protocols. Its role includes evaluating new technologies, validating performance and ensuring alignment with stringent naval standards and integration requirements.

Apollo Micro Systems Limited will serve as the Technology Development and Manufacturing Partner, leveraging four decades of experience to convert research outputs into ruggedised, production-scale systems. The company will support rapid engineering, system integration and manufacturing for induction into defence platforms.


ABOUT DGNAI (DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF NAVAL ARMAMENT INSPECTION):

DGNAI at IHQ (MoD)/Navy is entrusted with the indigenisation and quality assurance of armament stores and associated equipment. The Directorate plays a pivotal role in strengthening self-reliance in naval armaments by ensuring that mission-critical systems meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability.

ABOUT APOLLO MICRO SYSTEMS LIMITED (AMS):

Apollo Micro Systems Limited, a 40-year-old pioneer in defence technology, specializes in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced electronic, electro-mechanical, and engineering systems. With multi-domain, multidisciplinary capabilities and robust infrastructure, the company is equipped to build cutting-edge defence technologies and produce them at scale for national strategic needs.