Sagar Defence Engineering has marked a major milestone with the stone-breaking ceremony of what it describes as the world’s first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh. The project is set to strengthen India’s indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem and expand capabilities in autonomous maritime technologies.

The foundation stone was laid by Nara Lokesh, Minister for Human Resources Development, IT, Electronics & Communications and Real Time Governance, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The centre is being developed on 29.58 acres, including waterfront access, to support vessel construction, launch, testing and deployment. It will focus on technologies such as Unmanned Surface Vessels, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, intelligent navigation systems, maritime sensors, communication networks and command-and-control platforms.

The facility will integrate AI-driven shipyard management, digital twin technology, robotic fabrication, autonomous material handling and 3D printing. Beyond defence applications, the centre is expected to support shipping, fisheries monitoring, offshore energy, disaster management and coastal safety, while creating skilled jobs and strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s position in advanced maritime manufacturing.