In a significant move to enhance India’s maritime defence readiness, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Pentagon Rugged Systems India Limited (PRS) to develop and integrate advanced anti-drone and long-range communication systems for the Indian Navy. The agreement, signed on 5 July 2025, marks a pivotal milestone in India’s journey toward defence self-reliance under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
What technologies are being developed and why are they important?
The collaboration focuses on two critical domains: Anti-Drone Systems and Long-Range Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) Communication Systems. The anti-drone systems will be tailored to address the growing threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in maritime theatres, providing detection, tracking, and neutralization capabilities up to a 30-kilometre radius.
Key features of the anti-drone systems include:
- Real-time threat detection and jamming across the 400 MHz to 6 GHz frequency spectrum.
- Ability to neutralise hostile drones without collateral damage.
- Indigenous design optimised for rugged and high-risk maritime operations.
Equally vital, the NLOS Communication Systems will enable secure, resilient communication for naval platforms operating in complex and often visibility-limited maritime environments. These systems allow vessels to maintain uninterrupted coordination without relying on direct line-of-sight links, a significant upgrade in networked warfare capabilities.
How will this partnership support India’s defence goals?
The agreement bolsters India’s long-term strategy to indigenise its defence production and reduce dependency on foreign technologies. By integrating anti-drone and NLOS communication technologies onto Indian naval ships, the initiative contributes directly to operational preparedness, electronic warfare resilience, and maritime domain awareness.
Cmde Hemant Khatri, Chairman & Managing Director of HSL, emphasized the national significance of the effort:
“This MoU is a significant step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence technology. Our partnership with Pentagon Rugged Systems will not only enhance the combat readiness of our naval platforms but also foster indigenous innovation in maritime security.”
Dr. Swaminathan Manikandan, MD of PRS India Ltd, echoed the sentiment:
“We are proud to collaborate with HSL to deliver indigenous, mission-critical, rugged, real-time, and scalable Anti-Drone technology tailored to address high-risk maritime threats.”
When will the systems be deployed?
Integration trials are scheduled to begin in the next quarter, with operational deployment on frontline naval vessels shortly thereafter. The rapid timeline underscores both the urgency of countering evolving aerial threats and the growing capacity of Indian firms to respond with indigenous solutions.
The collaboration is expected to not only improve current naval capabilities but also set a precedent for future public-private innovation in India’s defence sector.