Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, has secured contracts worth over INR 2.5 billion from the Ministry of Defence for the supply of underwater systems. The agreements, signed on 10 November 2025, fall under the Fast Track procurement category and require completion within 12 months. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by November 2026.
The contracts cover autonomous and unmanned underwater systems designed to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Navy. These systems will enhance the Navy’s underwater surveillance and mission capabilities across multiple maritime zones. The awards further consolidate KSSL’s position in the underwater systems domain, an area where the company has previously delivered autonomous underwater vehicles already in service with the Navy.
KSSL has been investing in design, development, and manufacturing of advanced marine and defence technologies over the past five years. The new orders are expected to expand the company’s production activity and drive capacity enhancements in testing and assembly infrastructure to meet the one-year delivery timeline. The Fast Track procurement designation underscores the urgency of the requirement and entails parallel execution of production and quality validation processes.
In a related development, KSSL has entered into a strategic partnership with Italy-based EdgeLab S.p.A., an innovative small and medium enterprise specialising in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and marine technologies. The agreement will strengthen cooperation in underwater robotics and expand commercial opportunities across India, Asia, Africa, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Through KSSL’s network and industrial expertise, EdgeLab will promote its technologies in these high-potential markets, enhancing its presence in marine safety and monitoring applications.
The partnership follows Bharat Forge’s earlier acquisition of a 25 percent equity stake in EdgeLab through KSSL in December 2024. This investment forms the foundation of a long-term collaboration aimed at combining EdgeLab’s research and innovation in underwater systems with KSSL’s manufacturing and systems integration capabilities.
According to EdgeLab CEO & President Michele Cocco, the alliance “represents a significant growth opportunity for EdgeLab, allowing us to access key international markets and strengthen a long-term collaboration with an outstanding partner such as KSSL.”
Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited serves as the defence manufacturing arm of the Kalyani Group, focusing on armaments, artillery, armoured vehicles, and naval systems. Its parent, Bharat Forge Limited, operates across automotive, industrial, and defence sectors with manufacturing facilities in India and overseas.
