Sagar Defence Engineering Sets Up Maritime Centre in Andhra Pradesh

Sagar Defence Engineering held the stone-breaking ceremony for India’s first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre on 12 March 2026 at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh. The project is planned as an autonomous maritime shipbuilding facility with waterfront access in Nellore district for vessel construction, testing, and deployment.

Project Location and Land Allotment

The Government of Andhra Pradesh allotted 29.58 acres of land for the project at Juvvaladinne in Nellore district. Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour is located on the Andhra Pradesh coast and provides access to the Bay of Bengal.

Technologies and Platform Types

The centre will develop unmanned surface vessels, autonomous underwater vehicles, intelligent navigation systems, and integrated command-and-control systems. The facility is also expected to use AI-driven shipyard management, digital twin systems, robotic fabrication, and 3D printing.

Defence and Civilian Applications

Autonomous maritime platforms are unmanned or minimally crewed systems used for surveillance, logistics, research, and operations in maritime environments. The project includes defence applications and civilian use cases such as smart fishing fleet networks, ocean research, and offshore energy operations.

Important Facts for Exams

• Unmanned surface vessels operate on the sea surface without an onboard crew.
• Autonomous underwater vehicles operate below the sea surface and are used for mapping, inspection, and research.
• Digital twin systems create virtual models of physical assets for monitoring and simulation.
• Andhra Pradesh has a long coastline along the Bay of Bengal and several fishing harbours.

Employment and Leadership

The project is expected to create about 750 jobs, including around 300 direct jobs and 450 indirect jobs. Capt. Nikunj Parashar is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sagar Defence Engineering.