Stingray Robotix has developed the Hull Crawler underwater robot

India is rapidly expanding its indigenous underwater robotics ecosystem, with a combination of private-sector innovation, scientific research and military development programs driving the country towards greater self-reliance in subsea technologies.

A growing number of Indian organisations are developing remotely operated and autonomous underwater systems designed for applications ranging from commercial inspection and maintenance to deep-sea exploration and naval operations.

Among the emerging players is Delhi-based Start-Up Stingray Robotix, founded in 2024, which has developed the Hull Crawler, a magnetically attached remotely operated vehicle designed to clean and inspect ship hulls at depths of up to 200 metres.

The system uses high-pressure cavitation water jets rather than traditional abrasive brushes, allowing marine growth and biofouling to be removed without damaging protective hull coatings. By operating directly on vessels while they remain in service, the platform has the potential to reduce fuel consumption, lower operating costs and minimise the need for dry-docking.

The company is positioning the technology as a safer alternative to diver-based inspection and maintenance operations while also supporting underwater inspections and real-time hull-condition monitoring.

India’s underwater robotics sector is also being strengthened by Kochi-based deep-tech Start-Up EyeROV, which has gained recognition for its indigenous full-stack underwater robotic systems.

Its military-grade EyeROV TROUT platform provides advanced subsea inspection, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for dams, bridges, pipelines, ports and naval infrastructure.

The Indian Navy has already inducted TROUT systems, making them among the first domestically developed military-grade underwater robotic platforms to enter naval service. The remotely operated vehicles are designed for demanding underwater missions including inspection, search-and-recovery operations, target identification and maritime security tasks in challenging subsea environments.

On the scientific front, the National Institute of Oceanography is significantly enhancing India's deep-sea exploration capabilities.

The institute is expanding from underwater robotic systems capable of operating at depths of around 500 metres to platforms reaching 2,000 metres. Researchers are also pursuing the development of indigenous autonomous underwater robots capable of descending to depths of 6,000 metres.

Such capability would place India among a relatively small group of nations with access to advanced deep-ocean autonomous exploration systems, supporting seabed mapping, scientific research, resource assessment and strategic maritime studies.

The Indian Navy continues to play a major role in advancing autonomous underwater technologies through its innovation and indigenisation initiatives.

At the fifth edition of the Swavlamban seminar in New Delhi, the Navy highlighted a broad range of indigenous autonomous systems, including autonomous underwater vehicles, AI-enabled micro remotely operated vehicles, mine countermeasure drones and research efforts related to Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles.

These technologies are increasingly viewed as critical force multipliers for future naval operations, offering capabilities such as seabed surveillance, underwater reconnaissance, mine detection and infrastructure monitoring while reducing risks to personnel.

Simultaneously, the Defence Research and Development Organisation's Naval Science and Technological Laboratory is developing the Flatfish autonomous underwater vehicle.

The wide-profile platform is intended for specialised undersea missions and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen India's indigenous underwater warfare, surveillance and ocean-monitoring capabilities.

The rapid emergence of home-grown underwater robots, autonomous subsea vehicles and advanced maritime autonomy programmes reflects a wider national push towards self-reliance in strategic technologies.

With support from the Indian Navy, research institutions, DRDO laboratories and innovative private-sector Start-Ups, India is steadily building an indigenous underwater robotics ecosystem capable of serving both commercial industries and future maritime security requirements.

The convergence of artificial intelligence, autonomy, advanced sensors and deep-ocean engineering is expected to make underwater robotics an increasingly important pillar of India's maritime and technological ambitions in the coming years.

Agencies