Arun Golaya Profile picture
Retired Commodore I.N, author, technology buff | PhD | Innovation evangelist | Firmly believe in Atmanirbhar Bharat | Military history | RT ≠ endorsement
Sep 30 14 tweets 3 min read
Lots of chatter about ‘Atmanirbhar’ Vs ‘Operational Readiness’ issues due to @BahadurManmohan article. Quite a few people have commented. Some have asked me (1) My views & (2) Why the @indiannavy has been more successful than sister services.

🧵 1/n

@KesariDhwaj @JaidevJamwal It’s a tough call.

Of course, operational readiness is foremost…BUT (that’s a big but) IMHO, long term thinking is needed. For that #Atmanirbhar is the only way. If we compromise now, 20 years later a similar debate will still be on. At some time one has to say - No more! 2/n
Jun 13 9 tweets 3 min read
I fully agree sir with the need to follow rules. Whilst serving, I removed a ‘rakhi’ immediately after it was tied before going to office. But there is the larger question of why these rules were framed? Do they need revision?

May be controversial so please read the full 🧵 1/n AFAIK, ‘Tilaks’ in uniform were banned in the reorganisation after the 1859 uprising. Let us not forget that the principle cause of the Vellore Mutiny (1806) was banning of the tilak. So when we say something has ‘always’ been done - that might not be the case. 2/n
May 28, 2023 8 tweets 3 min read
This week I’m covering the Indian Naval Students Technical Engagement Programme (IN STEP). This is the internship programme of #NIIO. 1/n Lots of people (especially students) have been asking me for details after news of an MoU being signed with @IMU_HQ came out in the media this month. How do you apply? Whom do you contact? Does your college have a role to play? 2/n ImageImageImage
May 27, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
An absolute must read article on naval innovation. Two statements 👇🏻stand out for me and should make maritime planners think. 1/n

geostrategy.org.uk/britains-world… (1) “Fleets will operate more, for longer times, across a wide spectrum of missions, with diverse sets of partners, & over greater distances”. Have to deliver “persistent forms of engagement in the constabulary space, whilst having to retain the ability to ‘fight tonight’.” 2/n
May 14, 2023 10 tweets 2 min read
This week’s 🧵 is about India’s Export Control System. Though aimed primarily at defence #startups who may not know how (or from whom) to get permissions for export, it may benefit everyone involved in defence innovation ecosystem. 1/n We start with SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organism, Materials, Equipment and Technologies) lists. There are 8 categories. Essentially, these are for “dual use items” having potential for both civilian & military applications (as well as weapons of mass destruction). 2/n
Apr 30, 2023 7 tweets 3 min read
Thank you all for the very positive feedback on my weekly posts. As requested by some of you, I’m compiling this ‘thread of threads’ for ease of reference. Each tweet in this thread covers one topic The topic covered after #NIIO launch / structures was #TDAC
Apr 29, 2023 12 tweets 9 min read
This week I’ll cover avenues for financial support for #startups / other industry by the Technology Development Board (TDB) @tdbgoi. Defence *is* one of the areas supported by TDB, but many defence startups are not aware of the scheme.

No…the TDB and TDF are not related. 1/n TDB - setup in Sept 1996 under the Technology Development Board Act (1995) - is a statutory body under the Dept. of Science & Technology @IndiaDST. A 1st of its kind organisation within the govt framework, its sole objective is commercializing fruits of indigenous research. 2/n
Mar 25, 2023 12 tweets 4 min read
“It needs emphasis that since its earliest days, the Indian Navy was a pioneer of ‘Make in India’ and Atmanirbhar Bharat (a self reliant India), contributing not merely to its own growth, but also to the national technology ecosystem” I find the relentless drive for indigenisation by the IN over many decades fascinating. This 🧵 has some quotes from an article by @srikantkesnur in the inaugural Indian Naval Despatch (Winter 2020). As the quotes show, we planned well ahead…starting from 1947!
Mar 19, 2023 25 tweets 29 min read
Starting this week, I’ll compile (weekly) information about #NIIO #TDAC & #SPRINT from information available in various press releases,articles, speeches and books. The 🧵 this week is about the launch of the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation and it’s structures… Image #NIIO was launched by Hon’ble Raksha Mantri @rajnathsingh on 13 August 2020. Dedicated structures were created for the end users to interact with academia & industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence Image