Photo : IIT Madras Prof. PA Ramakrishna (2nd L) with Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during ‘Swavalamban 2025’ in Delhi
CHENNAI, 1 December 2025: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has formed a strategic tri-partite collaboration with the Indian Navy and Apollo Micro Systems Limited to accelerate the indigenous development of next-generation armament and defence technologies.
The Joint Development Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was officially exchanged in the presence of Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during the Indian Navy’s Swavalamban 2025 event held in Delhi on 25 November 2025.
This collaboration unites:
- IIT Madras’ advanced R&D capabilities
- Indian Navy’s operational and field expertise
- Apollo Micro Systems’ industrial manufacturing strength
Together, they aim to create a powerful innovation ecosystem aligned with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision in defence.
Strategic Significance of the Alliance
Prof. P.A. Ramakrishna from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, and the project coordinator, emphasised the transformative potential of the partnership:
“This MoU establishes a collaborative framework to jointly address current and emerging technological problem statements of the Armed Forces. The partnership accelerates the transition of laboratory innovations into deployment-ready solutions tailored for national defence.”
The collaboration is expected to make a significant contribution to the Ministry of Defence’s goals for self-reliance in critical and sensitive technologies, strengthening India’s standing as a global defence innovation hub.
Industry Perspective
Mr. Karunakar Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Micro Systems Limited, highlighted the synergy between the three institutions:
“This strategic understanding helps solve some of the most critical technological needs of our Armed Forces. The combined strength of IIT Madras’ research, our manufacturing capabilities, and DGNAI’s operational expertise creates a powerful ecosystem for defence indigenisation.”
Focus Areas of the Collaboration
The alliance will work on multiple high-impact defence technologies, including:
- Advanced Electronic Warfare Systems
- Precision Guidance and Navigation Technologies
- High-Energy Armament Systems
- Emerging High-Technology Defence Solutions Across Domains
Role of Each Partner
IIT Madras – Research & Innovation Anchor
- Lead advanced research, concept development, and IP generation
- Develop early-stage designs and futuristic prototypes
- Provide multi-domain technological solutions for defence applications
Indian Navy (DGNAI) – Operational Expertise & Validation
- Share mission-critical requirements and real-world test protocols
- Evaluate technology performance
- Ensure compliance with naval standards and integration readiness
Apollo Micro Systems – Technology Development & Manufacturing Partner
- Convert research into rugged, production-ready systems
- Drive rapid engineering, system integration, and scalable manufacturing
- Support induction of advanced technologies into defence platforms
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