NE SCIENCE & DEFENCE BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MAY 21
In a major push towards India’s rapidly expanding self-reliance mission in strategic technologies and defence manufacturing, SwaRaksha Mahotsav 2026 commenced in Ahmedabad on Wednesday with a strong focus on innovation, indigenous capabilities and collaborative security partnerships aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- SwaRaksha Mahotsav 2026 begins in Ahmedabad with strong focus on Atmanirbhar Bharat and indigenous strategic technologies
- Defence leaders, global OEMs, startups, armed forces and policymakers unite to accelerate innovation-led security ecosystem
- Summit highlights India’s growing capabilities in aerospace, defence manufacturing, unmanned systems, space and geospatial technologies
- Gujarat emerges as a major innovation and defence technology destination through collaborative industry-government initiatives
Hosted at Vigyan Bhawan in Ahmedabad, the two-day global summit, exhibition and awards platform has brought together an influential mix of senior government officials, armed forces representatives, defence PSUs, global OEMs, startups, academia, policymakers and industry leaders to deliberate on India’s emergence as a global hub for defence innovation and strategic technologies.
Gujarat Strengthens Strategic Technology Ecosystem
Themed “Fostering Partnership for Security”, the Mahotsav is focusing on sectors critical to India’s future security architecture including:
- Aerospace and defence
- Geospatial technologies
- Space technologies
- Marine systems
- Homeland security
- Unmanned and autonomous systems
The event is being hosted by the Government of Gujarat through the Department of Science & Technology, Gujarat Council on Science and Technology and Gujarat Science City, while being co-hosted by Survey of India and Physical Research Laboratory under the Department of Space, Government of India.
The summit is being organised by the Trade Promotion Council for Geospatial and Space Industry with support from multiple government agencies and strategic institutions.
Driving India’s Defence Self-Reliance Mission
Industry leaders said the Mahotsav reflects India’s growing determination to reduce dependence on foreign technologies while strengthening domestic innovation ecosystems.
Sanjay Singh, Founder & Director General of the Trade Promotion Council for Geospatial and Space Industry, said:
“SwaRaksha Mahotsav 2026 is envisioned as a transformative platform to strengthen India’s self-reliance in security, geospatial, and space technologies while fostering collaboration between industry, government, startups, academia, and innovators. Through this initiative, we aim to showcase indigenous capabilities, encourage innovation-driven partnerships, and accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge technologies that contribute to national security and economic growth. The Mahotsav reflects our commitment to building a resilient ecosystem aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and positioning India as a global leader in emerging strategic technologies.”
The statement underlined the growing emphasis on creating a resilient indigenous ecosystem capable of supporting India’s long-term national security and economic ambitions.
Armed Forces, Industry and Academia Join Hands
One of the key highlights of the Mahotsav is the collaboration between defence users, technology developers, policymakers and academic institutions.
Bimal Monga, Additional Director General, NCC Directorate Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, stressed the importance of collaborative innovation.
“This initiative provides a valuable opportunity for users, industry, government, and academia to come together and collaboratively develop solutions for the country. It is a commendable endeavour, and I am confident that we are moving in the right direction. Such interactions will help us better understand each other’s needs and challenges, enabling stronger collaboration and meaningful progress.”
Experts believe such platforms are crucial for accelerating technology transfer, innovation-led defence manufacturing and startup participation in India’s strategic sectors.
Innovation, Exhibitions and Strategic Networking
The two-day summit features:
- High-level conferences
- Technology exhibitions
- Panel discussions
- Strategic networking sessions
- Industry-government interactions
These engagements are expected to strengthen partnerships across India’s aerospace, defence, geospatial and homeland security sectors while opening new opportunities for startups, MSMEs and technology innovators.
With India aggressively expanding indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and space technologies, SwaRaksha Mahotsav 2026 is being seen as another major step in positioning the country as a future-ready global strategic technology powerhouse.
