India and Australia have launched a joint research project to boost underwater domain awareness between the two countries. The project aims at improving the early detection and tracking of submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles in the Indo-Pacific. 

The agreement was signed between the DRDO’s Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory and Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group’s (DSTG) Information Sciences Division.

The leading-edge research will explore using Towed Array Target Motion Analysis to improve the reliability, efficiency and interoperability of current surveillance capabilities. The Quad nations support the creation of a Free, Open, Inclusive and Rules Based Indo-Pacific. 

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue- India, Australia, Japan and the United States have been gradually pushing for greater maritime security and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific. The four countries are united by a common threat— the not so peaceful rise of China in the Indo-Pacific. China has the world’ s largest navy in number of warships- over 300 of them. In recent years, China has launched the largest submarine building programme of any country after the Cold War, adding between four to five submarines each year. China has a fleet of thousands of underwater drones- gliders and underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) for reconnaissance and ASW missions in the Indo-Pacific. This is where UDA or the ability to keep a watch on everything under the sea becomes crucial. 

“Underwater Domain Awareness is vital for securing maritime sovereignty, ensuring early detection of threats, and maintaining strategic advantage in an increasingly contested undersea environment. As underwater threats evolve, UDA becomes the cornerstone of modern naval and anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” says Captain Nikunj Parashar, Founder, Sagar Defence Engineering. 

Parashar said that the recent India-Australia collaboration on advanced undersea surveillance technologies marks a pivotal step forward for India’s defence innovation landscape, with significant benefits. “We look forward to the partnership facilitating critical technology transfer and knowledge exchange, enabling the acceleration of indigenous research and development efforts under UDA, and fostering the creation of sophisticated undersea detection systems tailored to the nation’s strategic requirements.”

We anticipate that enhanced technical expertise and successful joint outcomes will elevate the global competitiveness of defence startups like ours, opening avenues for export opportunities and international partnerships, reinforcing India’s strategic defence alliances, and creating a platform for expanded multilateral cooperation that benefits the entire defence ecosystem, positioning the country as a key innovator in maritime security technologies.

Deepak Bhadana

Over the past decade, Deepak Bhadana has built expertise in multimedia storytelling, with a focus on military conflicts, insurgencies, international relations, the defence industry, and occasionally, wildlife and environmental issues.