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Parliamentary Panel Reviews DRDO's Naval Tech Labs in Vizag & Kochi

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, chaired by Radha Mohan Singh, conducted a study visit to the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam. The committee observed live demonstrations of advanced underwater weapons and technologies developed for the Indian Navy. Senior DRDO officials, including Dr. Samir V Kamat, briefed the delegation on the lab's R&D activities and future roadmap. This visit followed a similar trip to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory in Kochi to review sonar systems.

Key Points: Defence Panel Visits DRDO Naval Labs in Visakhapatnam, Kochi

  • Panel visited NSTL Vizag
  • Saw torpedoes, mines, underwater vehicles
  • Witnessed ship model testing
  • Also visited NPOL Kochi
  • Reviewed sonar systems & sensors
2 min read

Andhra Pradesh: Parliamentary panel visits Naval Science and Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, led by Radha Mohan Singh, reviews underwater weapons & sonar tech at NSTL Vizag and NPOL Kochi.

"appreciated NSTL's R&D efforts in the development of underwater platforms, weapons, associated products and technologies - Defence Ministry"

Visakhapatnam, January 20

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, under the chairmanship of Radha Mohan Singh, undertook an on-the-spot study visit to Naval Science & Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam, on Tuesday, a press release said.

According to the Defence Ministry, the committee witnessed NSTL-developed products like Torpedos (ALWT, Varunastraand EHWT), Mines (MIGM and PBGM), Decoys (SFD, Torbuster), SMART, HEAUV, SWARM, underwater systems, underwater vehicles, products, and other associated underwater weapon technologies.

The committee also witnessed the live demonstration of hydrodynamic testing on sa cale-down model of a ship at the Sea-keeping and Manoeuvring Basin test facility. The delegation appreciated NSTL's R&D efforts in the development of underwater platforms, weapons, associated products and technologies to cater for the requirements of the Indian Navy.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, DG (Naval Systems & Materials) Dr RV Hara Prasad, and Director, NSTL Dr Abraham Varughese welcomed the delegation comprising Members of Parliament, Officials from Lok Sabha Secretariat and Ministry of Defence.

The Director, NSTL, briefed the Committee on the R&D activities being pursued at NSTL, including the industry and academia interactions. He also briefly explained the future technology roadmap of the lab. The committee appreciated the R&D efforts of NSTL in the strategically important area of Maritime Domain Awareness and Underwater Domain Awareness.

On Sunday, the Parliamentary Committee undertook an on-the-spot study visit to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO in Kochi, Kerala.

According to a statement by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the parliamentary committee witnessed underwater sensors and the development of sonar systems for the Indian Navy.

"Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (SCoD), under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Radha Mohan Singh, undertook an on-the-spot study visit to NPOL, Kochi, on January 17, 2026. The committee witnessed underwater sensors and related technologies developed by NPOL, including live demos of various systems and appreciated NPOL's R&D efforts in developing sonar systems for the Indian Navy," DRDO posted on X.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Very proud of the scientists and engineers at NSTL. The list of products - Varunastra, SMART, underwater vehicles - is impressive. Hope this leads to faster induction into the Navy. Our maritime security needs these indigenous technologies.
R
Rohit P
Good to see committees doing on-ground visits instead of just meetings in Delhi. They can understand challenges better. But the real test is budgetary support and removing bureaucratic hurdles for DRDO. Jai Hind!
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows defence tech, the work on swarm tech and autonomous vehicles is crucial for future warfare. Glad the roadmap includes industry & academia interaction. That's how innovation scales.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, while visits are appreciated, I hope this translates to tangible outcomes. We've heard about many DRDO products for years. The focus should be on timely delivery and meeting naval operational requirements. The intent is good, but execution is key.
K
Kavya N
The underwater domain is so important for India, given our long coastline and strategic interests in the Indian Ocean. More power to our scientists in Vizag and Kochi! 👏

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