Theme: Defence | How can underwater acoustic sensors change naval warfare?

In this episode of the State of the Economy podcast, businessline’s Dalip Singh talks to Rashi Mehrotra, Co-founder and Director R&D at Aikairos Private Limited about the world of defence innovation, spotlighting the groundbreaking contributions of women entrepreneurs in this traditionally male-dominated field. 

The podcast begins with Mehrotra sharing her experience and insights, reflecting on the evolution of her career and the challenges she has overcome. She discusses the motivations behind her interest in defence technology, particularly in underwater domain expertise, which has been a consistent focus since her PhD days. 

One of the key highlights of this episode is Mehrotra's discussion of Aikairos’s flagship project: the development of acoustic vector sensors for underwater noise measurement. These sensors, which are crucial for long-range communication and detection in naval warfare, represent a significant technological advancement in India's defence capabilities. She goes on to explain how these sensors, which passively detect and analyse underwater sounds, can differentiate between various underwater entities such as ships, submarines, and even marine mammals. She also emphasises the commercial potential of this technology, particularly in the context of marine life conservation. 

The podcast further delves into the Indo-US Defence Accelerator Ecosystem (Indus X) initiative, where Aikairos emerged as a proud winner. This joint venture between the US Department of Defence and India's Ministry of Defence aims to foster innovation and collaboration in defence technologies, underscoring the strategic partnership between the two nations. Mehrotra shares her thoughts on how this collaboration is crucial for advancing critical technologies and enhancing interoperability between India and the US. 

As the episode concludes, Mehrotra briefly touches upon other exciting projects Aikairos is working on, including an AI-based offline language translator for the Indian Navy and an anti-drone system. She goes on to exemplify how women are not only breaking barriers in the defence sector but are also leading the charge in technological innovation, contributing to the vision of a self-reliant India. 

(Host: Dalip Singh, Producer: Amitha Rajkumar)

About the State of the Economy podcast

India's economy has been hailed as a bright spot amid the general gloom that seems to have enveloped the rest of the world. But several sectors continue to stutter even as others seem set to fire on all cylinders.