US, Indian firms join hands for autonomous surface vessels

Liquid Robotics, a Boeing-owned company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian company Sagar Defence Engineering to co-develop and co-produce autonomous surface vessels (ASV) — small ships that would sail at sea without a crew.

The agreement builds on the joint US-India roadmap for defence industrial cooperation.

Liquid Robotics manufactures the ‘Wave Glider’ — a proven unmanned vessel that is powered by sea waves and solar energy. It can stay on a mission round the clock for several months at a time, providing real-time data and communications for a variety of applications.

This partnership aims to enhance undersea domain awareness through manufacturing, system interoperability, ocean testing and the establishment of a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity for the wave glider platform.

Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India and South Asia said, “The US-India relationship continues to strengthen, and we see immense potential in deepening our collaboration.”

“This partnership with Sagar Defence Engineering underscores our commitment to co-developing and co-producing critical systems in India, fully aligning with the collaborative vision of both the US and Indian Governments outlined in the US-India Joint Leaders Statement last month,” Gupte added.

The MoU is aimed at expanding industry partnerships and strengthening production capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region.