Shares of Apollo Micro Systems jumped nearly 4% in Wednesday’s trade after the defence electronics company said it had received a Make-II Prototype Sanction Order (PSO) from the Indian Navy to develop an advanced autonomous underwater surveillance platform. The development marks the company’s formal entry into the fast-growing autonomous maritime warfare segment in India and is being seen as one of its biggest indigenous defence technology milestones so far.
The stock hit an intraday high of Rs 406 on the BSE before quoting at Rs 404.50, up 3.57%, in afternoon trade.
Apollo Micro Systems Gets Make-II Prototype Order From Indian Navy
Apollo Micro Systems has received a Prototype Sanction Order (PSO) from the Indian Navy under the Make-II category for the design, development and prototype demonstration of SAVIOUR-ASW (Semi-Submersible Autonomous Vessel for Intelligence, Operations and Reconnaissance), the company said in its regulatory filing.
The project marks the company’s formal entry into the autonomous maritime and underwater warfare technology arena, a field that is expected to be critical in the future of naval defence, the company said.
Unlike traditional defence contracts, the Make-II framework seeks to promote Indian firms in developing military technologies indigenously. In the prototype development phase, the government has no obligation to fund and successful prototypes are eligible for procurement by the armed forces once they meet performance requirements.
What is SAVIOUR-ASW?
The SAVIOUR-ASW is a semi-submersible, autonomous, unmanned vehicle which conducts long-duration anti-submarine warfare (ASW) surveillance operations. The platform is able to operate submerged below the waves for extended periods. It employs a sophisticated hydrophone array to locate submarines and underwater threats before relaying intelligence to naval command centres without personnel on board.
The system is being developed on the following technologies:
- Long-endurance autonomous operations.
- High-end underwater acoustic sensors
- AI/ML-based target classification
- Multiple-channel encrypted communication
- Long-term underwater observation capability
Apollo Micro Systems said autonomous platforms like SAVIOUR-ASW can significantly lower surveillance costs compared to deploying conventional anti-submarine warships while enabling the Navy to monitor larger maritime areas 24×7.
Why Is This Project Of Strategic Importance?
The company said the Indian Ocean region is increasingly important for global trade and the need for India’s maritime security will continue to grow.
In the exchange filing, the company said India transships about 95% of its trade by volume and nearly 68% by value through the sea routes.
Around 42% of the world’s crude oil transits through the Indian Ocean Region.
Some 100,000 merchant ships pass through these waters each year, carrying around 30% of the world’s containerised cargo.
Autonomous surveillance systems like SAVIOUR-ASW could boost India’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities while freeing up frontline naval assets to focus on combat operations, Apollo said.
Managing Director Describes It as Defining Moment
Commenting on the order, Baddam Karunakar Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Micro Systems, said, “The award of this Make-II Prototype Sanction Order from the Indian Navy is a defining moment for Apollo Micro Systems. We have spent years building deep capability in indigenous defence electronics and mission-critical systems. The SAVIOR-ASW programme is the culmination of that journey a statement of our conviction that India must own the technologies that protect its maritime boundaries.”
He continued, “We are not simply building a product; we are contributing to India’s sovereign capability to see, hear, and respond beneath the seas. At Apollo, we firmly believe the next frontier of warfare will be autonomous, intelligent, and networked and we are committed to ensuring India leads that transformation from the front.”
Reddy also acknowledged the company’s earlier work with DRDO, saying that it helped build the expertise to develop such advanced underwater warfare systems.
An Expanding Opportunity
Apollo Micro Systems believes that the autonomous maritime defence sector has substantial long-term growth potential.
The firm estimated that the global autonomous maritime systems market could be worth almost $10 billion by 2032 but said that actual defence procurement values will depend on future government decisions.
Earlier this month, Apollo Micro Systems had also received defence-related orders worth Rs 134.35 crore from DRDO, the Indian Navy, defence PSUs, a state government and private sector clients, strengthening its overall order book.
With the latest Make-II Prototype Sanction Order, the company has moved into autonomous naval platforms from defence electronics – an area that is likely to gain importance as India ramps up investments in indigenous defence technologies under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. The views, opinions, and recommendations expressed herein are those of the respective experts. Readers are advised to consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.)
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