By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
A three-day global summit, Swaraksha Mahotsav 2025, which is underway at Rushikonda on Wednesday (September 24, 2025), brought together policymakers, military leaders, and industry experts. The theme of the summit was ‘Fostering Partnerships for Security’.
The summit underscored the rapid evolution of India’s security environment and the role of advancing technologies in shaping it, from AI-enhanced traffic management to unmanned maritime systems and drones for urban surveillance.
More than 40 exhibitors showcased cutting-edge defence, aerospace, and geospatial technologies, highlighting the vibrant ecosystem driving indigenous innovation.
The focus of the event was on Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious plan to establish specialised defence manufacturing hubs across the State.
The new defence policy outlines a strategy that includes a 3,000-acre Naval Cluster, a Missile and Navigation Cluster at Jaggaiahpeta, a 4,500-acre Aerospace and Electronics Hub in southern Andhra Pradesh, and a 4,000-acre Aircraft Components and Manufacturing Hub in Prakasam district. These initiatives are designed to foster synergistic collaboration among government, academia, startups, and industry to build a robust defence manufacturing base.
The summit emphasised India’s inclusive approach to defence self-reliance, which involves large corporations and smaller businesses producing essential components.
The event featured discussions on leveraging historical legacies for contemporary advancements, showcasing how technologies like drones are being adapted for military and civilian applications. It also highlighted the Indian Coast Guard’s rapid expansion and the vast opportunities this presents for private industry, urging Indian shipyards to compete on a global scale.
The discussions underscored the critical importance of cybersecurity in modern warfare, emphasizing India’s potential to become a leader in this field. The summit’s overall message was that innovation and collaboration across all sectors are crucial for maintaining India’s strategic advantage in a complex security landscape.
Deputy Inspector General Manish Verma of the Indian Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Shantanu Jha Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Girideep Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Shipyard Limited and Rupesh Kundapalli, CEO, XE Links Space Labs, Member of Parliament Bharat, and Shankhabrata Bagchi, Commissioner of Police were among those who participated in the inaugural programme.
