The Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, has signed an agreement with Xalten Systems Pvt. Ltd for a project to develop a high-performance acoustic antenna system for underwater high data rate communication for video transmission. The project is being carried out in collaboration with Subnero Pte Ltd, Singapore, and seeks to combine Indian expertise in underwater acoustics with software-defined communication frameworks. The programme aims to produce indigenous wideband hydrophone sensor arrays optimised for short-range, high-speed links between autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) platforms.

Demand for robust, high-data-rate underwater communication has grown with the deployment of AUV swarms for offshore energy operations, deep-sea exploration, marine research and strategic applications. Existing global offerings from established suppliers such as Kongsberg Maritime, Sonardyne and EvoLogics largely emphasise long-range, low-bandwidth architectures. The new system is designed to bridge this gap by focusing on wideband performance that supports concurrent high-throughput connections among multiple platforms.

The project envisages an acoustic antenna capable of achieving megabit-per-second data rates while maintaining reliability in challenging underwater environments. Development will integrate precision acoustic sensor arrays with software-defined communication stacks to support real-time collaboration, navigation and high-quality video transmission across networked marine robotic systems. The effort also includes plans to establish scalable manufacturing capabilities within India to reduce reliance on imported technologies and to bolster domestic competence in underwater sensing and communication.

The TDB described the initiative as aligned with its mandate to facilitate commercialisation of industry-led research and strategic partnerships, and the project is expected to accelerate translation of advanced ocean technologies into operational solutions. Xalten Systems indicated that the support will accelerate development of application-optimised acoustic antenna systems tailored for next-generation underwater robotics and communication networks. The collaboration is positioned to strengthen India’s role in the growing blue economy and to foster international technological cooperation.