Indian Army Procures Fire Fighting Robot, Navy Upgrades SATCOM with BSNL-Viasat

The contract for the procurement of a Fire Fighting Robot was executed with M/s Swadeshi Empresa Pvt Ltd on January 13, 2026 at the Capability Development Directorate of the Indian Army.

Developed under the iDEX framework for the Indian Navy, the Fire Fighting Robot is being procured by the Indian Army for the first time by leveraging the enabling provision to acquire iDEX products developed for a sister Service, based on their Single Stage Composite Trial (SSCT).

This initiative strengthens the defence start-up ecosystem and further underscores jointness and integration in defence technology development.

The Fire Fighting Robot is a compact and versatile unmanned ground vehicle designed to operate in hazardous fire-fighting environments where direct human intervention is risky.

It enables fire-fighting operations from a safe distance, significantly enhancing personnel safety during critical response and emergency scenarios for Indian Army firefighters.

iDEX, under the Defence Innovation Organisation, has emerged as a key enabler in connecting the Armed Forces with start-ups and innovators, and has gained strong traction within the defence start-up community.

The Indian Army is undertaking spiral development of its already delivered iDEX projects and is progressing nearly 22 iDEX projects towards trials following completion of prototype development.

On the other hand, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Viasat, Inc., today announced a collaboration to support the next phase of the Indian Navy's satellite communications (SATCOM) upgrade programme, which is scheduled to commence later this month.

The project marks a transition for the Indian Navy toward a multi-band and multi-constellation SATCOM strategy. This modernisation effort will utilise BSNL's Gateway Earth Station and Viasat's global satellite network to expand coverage and improve reliability for mission-critical operations.

According to a press release from Viasat, the agreement signed between BSNL and the Indian defence forces integrates high-capacity Ka-band satellite systems alongside existing L-band infrastructure.

This combination is intended to deliver resilient and secure connectivity across Indian naval platforms. The international government team at Viasat will manage the program under the company's Communication Services segment.

The upgrade focuses on enhancing the maritime force's communication throughput and reliability. Todd McDonell, President, International Government, Viasat, said: "This upgrade combines the resilience of L-band with the power of high-throughput Ka-band, providing enhanced connectivity for mission-critical operations. It also reinforces our long-term commitment to India's defence and maritime communication ecosystem."

Gautam Sharma, Managing Director, Viasat India, said, "With the equipment having arrived in India and installation activities set to begin this month, we are proud to support the Indian Navy in modernising its satellite communication capabilities. This milestone marks an important step forward in our ongoing collaboration with BSNL and the Indian defence forces."

Robert Ravi, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL, said: "BSNL is proud to support the Indian Navy's SATCOM modernisation by providing advanced connectivity solutions through our partnership with Viasat. This upgrade reflects BSNL's ongoing commitment to enabling India's strategic communication needs with resilient and secure infrastructure."

Viasat currently provides various satellite-based services in India, including disaster response networks, tsunami early warning systems for the National Institute of Ocean Technology, and vessel tracking for the Directorate General of Shipping. The company also provides aeronautical connectivity for private and government aircraft within the region.

- ANI