The maiden seminar of the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) organized in July last year made waves due to many reasons – the biggest being the launch of the ‘SPRINT’ challenges under iDEX by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The challenges aimed at developing at least 75 indigenous products for the Indian Navy as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The NIIO seminar this year, named Swavlamban 2023, will unveil the technologies developed by MSMEs and startups. Whilst the full details are not yet available, the verdict is already out. This initiative by the Indian Navy has been a game changer for self reliance in defence.
Financial Express Online spoke to Commander Rahul Verma who recently retired from the Navy and was last posted at the Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) of the NIIO as Unmanned and Aviation Subject Matter Expert to get some insights into the progress.
Following are excerpts:
To begin with, could you tell us something about TDAC, its role and how it functions?
TDAC, as the name suggests, is a dedicated cell set up to speed up – or accelerate – technology development. It is a fairly nascent structure and was established in 2020 as a part of the NIIO. It channels in-house naval innovations and also interacts with the academia and the industry – mainly the startups. A small group of just four officers at Naval Headquarters, it is supported by an extended arm of ‘volunteer’ officers (termed VISTAR) spread across the Navy who help out with innovation in addition to their other duties. As far as its functioning goes, it works more like a start-up than a Government body in the sense that it is focused, nimble and result oriented. These factors have been its strengths since inception.
What sets TDAC apart from other similar organizations within the Navy and in other Service?
Well, quite frankly I do not think that there is any other organisation whether within the Navy or in the other Services which is ‘similar’ to TDAC. There are many things which set it apart. The biggest factor as per me is that most officers posted at TDAC or in its extended arm VISTAR are innovators themselves. This helps as they not only understand the problems in innovation and what the firms are going through but are also able, many times, to meaningfully contribute. Not many people may be aware that naval officers have filed more than fifty patents in the short time since NIIO was set-up. Being an innovator, having a mindset for innovation certainly helps. This is true for any organisation tasked with innovation. The Navy has I feel got this right.
When I joined TDAC, there were three of us in that organisation pursuing PhD. Believe it or not, we never had a predefined criterion that officers nominated to the Naval Technology Acceleration Council (NTAC) which is the apex body of NIIO should be doctorates. Surprisingly, all officers – barring none – who were eventually selected were either already doctorates or were doctoral research scholars. Such a high level of doctorates – in any organisation, forget about the Armed Forces – would, I think, be unprecedented except perhaps universities. I doubt if even DRDO or dedicated R&D organizations such as CSIR have – in percentage terms – as many PhDs as this naval organisation does. One often talks about ‘scholar-warriors’, TDAC exemplifies ‘scientist-warriors’ if I can coin a term. The fact that they are not only innovators themselves but also the end-users makes their expertise and skill set unique. This I feel is also apparent in the work-culture and the results that have been delivered. Like the constellations that guide ships across the vast oceans, TDAC illuminates the path of innovation, steering us towards a horizon of technological uniqueness and maritime excellence.
How is the SPRINT initiative progressing? What kind of technologies will we see being unveiled at Swavlamban?
The SPRINT, quite literally, is sprinting. Quite frankly, the results have been beyond our wildest expectations. The startups have delivered! I will obviously not go into the specifics of the products as these are yet to be showcased by the Navy but can assure you that there will be many path-breaking products on display at Swavlamban 2023. These include many applications of Artificial Intelligence and unmanned systems, various types of sensors and also plenty of dual-use items. You can also expect a few global ‘first-of-its-kind’ products to be unveiled. More than that, we will let the suspense stand for now.
This is not the first time that a dedicated effort to boost indigenisation has been made. So what led to the results which you ,yourself, described as ‘beyond wildest expectations’? What are the takeaways at the policy-making level and for other organizations to follow?
There are numerous factors which went into SPRINT. Starting from the selection of the problem statements itself to the eventual execution. The defining factors for me would be a very high level of delegation of responsibility to aid quick decision making, focus on the ‘big picture’ by TDAC rather than getting bogged down into individual specifics, and, a open dialogue with the firms.
The process of ‘acceleration’ or speeding things up was also aided by our encouraging the firms to cooperate amongst themselves. No single firm can do everything alone. Even if they can, the timelines would be extended. Since we already had a ready pool of talent we could facilitate collaboration. This created a win-win for all. The rising tide, as they say, raises all boats. If a firm having expertise in say electronics needs help with mechanical aspects there were people amongst the SPRINT winners who were more than happy to collaborate.
Further, the top-down thrust certainly helped. The personal interest taken by the top naval hierarchy was on display during the Aero India and Def Expo events where the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Chief and virtually the entire naval top brass took time out to interact with the SPRINT winners. The term ‘SPRINT winner’ itself became a badge of honour for the startups and you will find that most of them so introduce themselves now in their sales-pitches – confident that it establishes them as the best in the field.
The most important thing for the startups is of course the orders that will follow. Especially for the boot-strapped firms the ‘valley of death’ is a reality which destroys many startups from between the development of a prototype and successful execution of orders. How is this aspect being addressed? Will the Navy be placing orders on the firms? How long will the process take?
Yes, more than the grant through iDEX, it is the orders that are important for the startups. Technology acceleration is as much about policies and procurement as it is about R&D. I am happy that these aspects are being given as much attention by the Navy. The first order for over Rs 180 cr has already been placed on a firm. This is unprecedented. In less than one year since the problem statements were put out the entire process – of outreach to the industry, getting responses, selecting the winner, signing the development agreement, the actual development itself, the trials, getting Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), issue of Request for Proposal (RFP), cost negotiations and finally, placement of the order itself – was completed. This shows the level of ‘acceleration’ undertaken. The entire process – each step of which would hitherto take months on end – was significantly compressed.
The recent policy changes by the Ministry of Defence and the amendments to the Defence Acquisition Procedures (DAP) have helped in no small measure. A few more are in pipeline to support our Startups navigate the “valley of death”.
You mentioned the recent changes in procedures. What further changes in procedures do you think are warranted and how is this being addressed?
A number of changes have been proposed by the Navy. These are being looked at by the Ministry and I am confident that they will find wide acceptance.
If I had to identify one change which can be really effective to build the ecosystem and give a boost to iDEX, I would say that it needs to be the ability to place orders on multiple firms. This is important if the supplier base is to be expanded and the eco-system created. If we place an order on only the ‘L1’, we are effectively killing the competitors. Giving them a ‘fit for military use’ certificate post trials and hoping that they will get export orders to sustain themselves is being unrealistic. The Services should be permitted to purchase – even if in limited numbers – from each firm that successfully demonstrates a prototype. This is not wastage of government funds but actually investment into the future. We should not be penny wise and pound foolish…or should I say paise wise and rupee foolish since we are discussing Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
You mentioned exports. Do you really feel that the small startups are in a position to make a substantial difference in defence exports?
One word answer – YES. Infact, most of Navy SPRINT winners were part of the INDUS-X as part of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
To the second question – Our startups certainly have what it takes to make a major impact in the defence market. The quality of their products as well as the price competitiveness will make their products lucrative for friendly foreign countries. A special interaction with the Defence Attaches is also I think being planned during Swavlamban 2023. The USP of the startups is their hunger for results. From the foreign countries perspective, the fact that these firms are small may also be an advantage as it gives scope for collaboration. Arms trade always has elements of dependencies. The Indian products come with ‘no strings attached’. The fact that the startups are small also means that the relationship is mutually beneficial. The startups need the export orders as much as the countries placing orders need the products. Once again it becomes a win-win. Even if we see the more advanced countries which have their own established Military Industrial Complex (MIC), the price factor will make the Indian products attractive.
TDAC officers have always been described (including in the social media) as ‘mavericks’. How true is this? How important is it for innovation?
I would agree that we were – rather are – all Mavericks. Innovation entails an element of change. To bring in a new idea, you need to first drive out the old one. Out-of-the-box thinkers are therefore critical. But being different for the sake of being different is also not the case. Being result-oriented is more important. TDAC is focused single mindedly on results and that is important. If I may be permitted to use a catchline from one of the advertisements by a large corporation “Hum Mushkilo ki Nahi Sunte, Hum Kar ke Dikhate Hain”. TDAC is like that. “We fear not, speak less, and deliver ceaselessly, a testament of action over words, always.”.
On a lighter note, we also talk. A lot. I remember you had tweeted during DefExpo when Officer in Charge TDAC Commodore Arun Golaya was speaking in a seminar that he was setting the stage on fire and that if people watch one speech in the DefExpo seminars it should be his speech at the DRDO seminar. He is known for being forthright in his opinions and does not mince his words. Does this, again, make him a ‘maverick’? If it does, so be it. His tweets from his personal account (@Arun_Golaya) are followed by a lot of startups. His views there are ‘different’ as well. Normally Serving personnel are not encouraged to be on social media. OiC TDAC has been accorded permission to be active on Twitter. This outreach to the industry is again mutually beneficial. He puts out information which is of use to the industry. The industry also has an avenue to reach out to the Navy with any ideas by contacting him. We are an interface and a very effective one.
So are we different? Are we mavericks? If so, we are so because we have been permitted by our Service to be so. Eventually the credit must go to the Navy. To conceptualise something like TDAC. To set up a small agile team. To give them a lot of leeway and freedom to work. And very importantly to believe in them, that in essence is the secret of our success. I just love my Navy.