Brest. Naval Group and the Indian Institute of Technology Goa (IIT Goa) signed a collaboration agreement, in presence of the Indian Ambassador H.E. Mr Jawed Ashraf and the Mayor of Brest, François Cuillandre at Sea Tech Week®. The joint research to be conducted aims to improve the analysis of data collected by underwater sensors, using neural systems and Artificial Intelligence.

Sea Tech Week® 2022 in Brest, whose featured country is India, is an opportunity to extend the existing cooperation between Naval Group and the IIT Goa in field of research and development (R&D). Today, Naval Group and IIT Goa signed an agreement as part of the GOAT (Goa Atlantic cooperation in Marine Science and Engineering) program, initiated during the Indo-French Knowledge summit in 2019, for exchange in education, research and innovation in the field of marine science and technology.

Jointly increasing the resolution of underwater imagery

Within the framework of this cooperation, specific study by Indian researchers with French technical experts will be conducted to extend the understanding of the technologies, in order to improve future industrial applications including underwater surveillance, submarine imaging and drones. The R&D project aims to study the underwater signal-to-noise ratio of, by analysing raw data collected by sensors using either neural systems or Artificial Intelligence, to increase the resolution of underwater imagery for the needs of offshore applications or for the installation, maintenance, detection of any submerged structure among others.

Highlighting the fruitful cooperation between India and France

This project contributes to the strong bilateral ties based on mutual trust and cooperation between India and France.

Professor Barada Kanta MISHRA, Director of the IIT GOA said, “We are excited to cooperate with the Naval Group, which is a big contributor to the technological capabilities of the Indian Navy, on this project. We hope to take our cooperation forward in underwater imaging, communications, and others domains of expertise like materials, to have a multiplicative effect on technological prowess on both the sides.”

François-Régis BOULVERT, International scientific cooperation director at Naval Group explained that “this partnership with the Indian Institute of Goa is an example of our commitment to develop talent and expertise in India. We value our long-term relation and collaboration with India and we are working on concrete research that helps develop new capabilities for both countries. This cooperation started in 2019 and has been growing every year since. We are also proud to work with the ecosystem in Brest and our academic partners of the Campus Mondial de la Mer.”

François CUILLANDRE, Mayor of Brest, said: “It is a great pride to celebrate concrete steps forward in the cooperation, which can be considered already very successful and continuously being developed with India. It is apt rendition of our fondness towards India, which we are pleased to have as an honorary member of Sea Tech Week 2022. It is an honour for the city of Brest to be the starting point for future synergies and powerful exchanges in field of important technologies between our two countries, serving meaningful needs for both France and India.”