At the heart of Swavlamban 2024, two standout companies captured the spotlight in India’s defence sector—Siliconia Technologies and Artemon Aerospace. Founded by defence tech visionary Sushil Ghule, these companies are not just presenting new products but are at the forefront of a paradigm shift in India’s defence capabilities. Siliconia and Artemon have crafted cutting-edge technologies that reduce India’s dependency on foreign suppliers while positioning the nation as a global leader in defence innovation.

Siliconia Technologies: Breakthroughs in Defence Communication and Radar Systems

Leading Siliconia’s portfolio are its radar and satellite communication systems, which marked a significant milestone by securing the 100th SPRINT (Navy) contract. Under the Ministry of Defence’s Innovations in Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, Siliconia has leveraged its access to advanced testing environments and close military feedback to perfect its ASIC-based radar systems and frequency-agnostic satellite antennas, delivering fast, secure, and resilient communication solutions essential to India’s defence framework.

“Our radar and satellite systems are designed to be adaptable across a wide range of frequencies, supporting India’s immediate defence requirements and evolving future needs,” Ghule states. Siliconia’s contributions are not just technical innovations but a move towards a more self-sufficient India in critical defence communication, a step toward establishing technological sovereignty within the country’s defence sector.

Handholding and support from the Indian Navy has been immense, hugely accelerating the product development, notably from Commodore SK Singh from the Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) and the Directorate of Naval Air Staff (DNAS) under the leadership of Cmde. Partha Bhatt.

Rear Admiral Vivek Dahiya, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff-Staff Requirements (ACNS-SR), has championed an indigenous innovation culture that underpins Siliconia’s success. “Through NIIO and iDEX Swavlamban has become a ‘mahakumbh’ of Indian defence,” Ghule explains, noting how critical this foundational support was in bringing Siliconia’s products to mission-ready status.

Artemon Aerospace: Shaping the Future of Naval Warfare with UAV Technology

While Siliconia has transformed defence communications, Ghule’s other venture, Artemon Aerospace, is reshaping the aerial dimension of naval defence. Last year, Artemon won the contract for loitering munitions under iDEX’s Open Challenge 6, an achievement that set the stage for its pivotal debut at Swavlamban 2024. The company’s product offering was featured in an official Tweet by the Indian Navy ahead of the event. At the exhibition hall, Artemon introduced its latest innovation—a tube-launched loitering UAV, which has captivated industry leaders with its potential to bolster India’s maritime security.

Compact yet versatile, Artemon’s UAV offers capabilities well-suited to the unique demands of Indian maritime defence. Designed for launch from aircraft, with development potential for deployment from ships and coastal installations, this UAV integrates features such as GNSS-denied navigation, autonomous BVLOS operation, and point-to-multipoint communication. It offers the Indian Navy an agile, reliable, and scalable solution to monitor high-risk zones within India’s expansive maritime borders, with potential for kinetic operations when asset protection is needed.

“We designed this UAV specifically for India’s maritime environment—highly adaptable, resilient, and capable of real-time surveillance in open ocean and coastal regions,” Ghule explains. This capability aligns seamlessly with India’s Indo-Pacific security strategy, reinforcing surveillance across critical maritime corridors.

Collaborative Innovation: iDEX, Academia, and Ecosystem Partnerships

Siliconia and Artemon’s successes are deeply rooted in the collaborative ecosystem fostered by the iDEX initiative. By providing access to military-grade testing facilities and feedback from seasoned Navy personnel, iDEX has enabled both companies to tailor their products to operational demands, resulting in solutions that are not only innovative but battle-ready.

Key academic partnerships have also driven this technological progress. Institutions like IIT Bombay and RV University have contributed critical resources, supporting research, development, and testing that accelerated Siliconia and Artemon’s journey from concept to execution. “The support from IIT Bombay and RV University has been transformative, offering us the talent and technical infrastructure to bring our defence technologies to life,” says Ghule. In a burgeoning ecosystem that unites startups, academia, and defence forces, Ghule sees a robust model of innovation that’s powering the next generation of Indian defence tech.

A Visionary’s Journey: Sushil Ghule’s Path to Defence Innovation

Behind Siliconia Technologies and Artemon Aerospace’s achievements is Sushil Ghule, a relentless innovator with a personal mission to make India a self-reliant powerhouse in defence technology. His journey began during his Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) program, a unique collaboration between the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) and the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, where he recognised the potential to reshape India’s defence sector through indigenous innovation.

In 2022, Ghule’s vision crystallised at the first Swavlamban seminar, a transformative event that inspired him to found Siliconia Technologies, focusing on critical advancements in radar and communication technology. Soon after, he launched Artemon Aerospace to address the pressing needs of India’s naval operations with state-of-the-art UAVs.

With his sights set on scaling these innovations globally, Ghule recently established an R&D facility in San Diego, California, to leverage advanced research infrastructure and access international talent. “Our mission extends beyond India’s borders. By tapping into global research, we’re refining and expanding our technologies to serve the needs of a global defence market,” he explains.

Challenges and Breakthroughs in Defence Technology

The path to Siliconia and Artemon’s current successes has been anything but smooth. The companies faced substantial R&D challenges, from ensuring radar systems’ seamless functionality across diverse frequencies to maintaining UAV stability in challenging maritime conditions. “Each obstacle compelled us to innovate further, pushing the limits of what’s possible in defence technology,” Ghule recalls. Overcoming these hurdles has only strengthened his resolve to position India as a global leader in defence innovation.

A Self-Reliant Future for India’s Defence Industry

For Ghule, success is not just measured in technological milestones but in Siliconia and Artemon’s impact on India’s defence landscape. “Our ultimate goal is to build a defence ecosystem that is globally recognised for its innovation,” he states, embodying the spirit of the AatmaNirbhar Bharat initiative.

As Ghule looks to the future, he envisions expanding UAV capabilities, enhancing radar and satellite systems, and integrating AI for autonomous operations and mission adaptability. His ambitions include leveraging Siliconia’s R&D to develop dual-use technologies extending the reach of defence solutions to civilian sectors. Ghule’s message reflects the mission at the heart of his work: “India has the talent, vision, and momentum. It’s time for us to take our place at the forefront of global defence technology.”

Through his pioneering efforts, Sushil Ghule is redefining India’s role in defence technology and setting a blueprint for the nation’s future innovators. As he continues to drive Siliconia and Artemon forward, his impact echoes beyond India’s shores, shaping a secure and technologically advanced future on the global stage.