India's underwater domain awareness is set to get a boost when its first domestically-built Wave Glider hits the water next year. Captain Nikunj Parashar is the founder and CEO of Sagar Defence Engineering—an Indian defence startup focused on autonomous maritime systems and unmanned vessels. He said that the first India-built Wave Glider powered by Sagar’s Genesis system is expected to be built by 2027.

Speaking on The Sandeep Unnithan Show, Sagar Defence's Founder-CEO Captain Nikunj Parashar said, “The biggest threat today is underwater. Pakistan has recently got the new Hangor class. So yes, and it’s a very silent platform. A wave-propelled vehicle can have a surface vehicle on top, but something that doesn’t have noise and can have persistent surveillance, nothing like it.”

The Wave Glider is an unmanned surface vessel designed for long-duration operations at sea. Unlike conventional vessels, it uses wave energy for propulsion. The platform has a surface section and a submerged section connected to each other. Its underwater section uses fins that convert the movement of waves into forward motion. He described the system as a very low-noise platform that can remain at sea for extended periods.

It is being built in the country as part of a joint-venture between Sagar Defence and Engineering and Boeing's Liquid Robotics. The company’s partnership with Liquid Robotics and Boeing is also significant because it moves the technology towards production in India. Instead of relying only on imported unmanned maritime platforms, the programme aims to develop an India-built capability around an established autonomous maritime system.

The platform has a surface section and a submerged section connected to each other. Its underwater section uses fins that convert the movement of waves into forward motion. He described the system as a very low-noise platform that can remain at sea for extended periods. He said the platform could remain at sea for days, months or longer, making it useful for persistent surveillance. He compared its role to a HAPS (High-Altitude Platform System) for the oceans.

The system is relevant as detecting underwater threats become crucial for naval forces. Parashar said the underwater domain is currently one of the biggest challenges and pointed to the increasing importance of quiet submarines. A platform that can remain in an area without generating significant noise could provide a persistent sensor presence without requiring a conventional manned vessel to remain there.

The Indian version will also bring Sagar Defence’s Genesis autonomy system into the platform. Genesis is described by Parashar as an “AI-driven command and control system that is embedded and platform agnostic.” The system can allow different unmanned platforms to operate autonomously depending on their mission and operating environment.  

The Wave Glider can therefore become more than a standalone surveillance vessel. It can form part of a wider network of unmanned systems. Parashar said Sagar has been working across surface, underwater, aviation and land platforms, with the aim of allowing different robotic systems to operate through common command architecture.

For the Indian Navy, such platforms could provide another layer of surveillance between conventional warships and fixed sensors. A fleet of persistent autonomous vessels could monitor large areas, support maritime intelligence and contribute to underwater surveillance without placing sailors directly in harm’s way.

Savio Rodrigues

Savio Rodrigues is a Research Analyst at Escape Velocity MediaWorks Pvt Ltd and writes for Chakra News on Defence, Geopolitics, National Security. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Mumbai.