MoS Defence launches GAINS-2024 to encourage start-ups in ship building field

Kolkata: Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Sanjay Seth on Wednesday hailed the effort by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd to encourage Start-Ups and firms in the private sector to create innovative solutions for technological advancement in the fields of ship design and shipbuilding.

MoS was in Kolkata during the day and launched the second edition of the GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme or GAINS.

This unique initiative was an open challenge launched by GRSE in 2023 to encourage Start-Ups and others to create innovative solutions in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Renewable/Green Energy & Energy Efficiency as well as well as Overall Efficiency Enhancement.

According to Cmde P R Hari IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, 51 proposals were received in the first stage of which six were shortlisted for the second round.

After detailed evaluation, two projects were selected and they were remunerated for their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

While one of them - an MSME - is working on AI-based Material Code Generation and Management Systems, the second - a Start-Up, is designing robots for the exterior painting of ships built by GRSE.

According to Hari, one of the projects will get completed by the end of 2024 while the other will take about six months longer.

The funding has been provided from GRSE's R&D budget. Once the projects have been fully developed, GRSE will discuss a profit-sharing model with the private entity.

GAINS-2024 that was launched by the minister of state for defence is the second edition of this initiative and Hari said that he expects the participation to go up further this year. The themes will be the same as in 2023.

"GAINS is in keeping with our Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Start-Up India policies. While GRSE has been contributing both towards building up of our nation's defence capabilities and economic growth, initiatives like GAINS will also promote industrial growth. This is an era of competition and factors such as efficiency and time-management are key. We will have to learn from Start-Ups and other private sector companies. It is good that GRSE has involved the private sector for further technological advancement," the MoS said.

Cmde Hari also spoke on how GRSE is going full throttle in its efforts to bag export orders.

"We have already exported ships to Guyana, Mauritius and the Seychelles. The INS Kirpan, a missile corvette built by GRSE is also being operated now by the Vietnam Navy. We have also signed contracts for exports of ships to Germany and Bangladesh. An agreement with another country is in the offing," he said.

At the moment GRSE is building 28 ships. Eighteen of them are for the Indian Navy.