Keeping India Afloat: How IIT Guwahati is Upgrading India’s Maritime Repair Capacity

Author : Yasaswini Sampathkumar

Published:   1 February 2026 | Category:  Research & Partnerships | Office:  Assam Academic and Health Innovation Initiative

India’s maritime sector is expanding through new trade routes, inland waterways and defence modernisation. Long-term reliability depends not just on building vessels, but on the capacity to repair and maintain them at scale. Strong domestic repair systems reduce lifecycle costs and keep fleets operational as they grow. 

At IIT Guwahati, maintenance is being treated as core infrastructure. Through its Technology Innovation Hub under the National Mission on Cyber Physical Systems, the institute is building indigenous expertise in three pillars of maritime sovereignty:  

• Workforce Readiness: Building a pipeline of certified, mission-ready underwater welders

• Operational Resilience: Developing mobile, rapid-response 3D-printing units to keep ships at sea.

• Future-Proofing & Advanced Materials: Engineering high-performance materials that don't fail in extreme environments.

  
  

India’s first indigenous underwater welding certification

Hull and propeller repairs require high-precision welding, a challenge magnified underwater. Divers operate in cold, pressurised, low-visibility conditions where equipment handling and heat control are constrained. Reliable repairs depend on rigorous training and practiced technique. 

To build domestic capability, IIT Guwahati and the Indian Register of Shipping have launched India’s first fully indigenous underwater welding certification programme. The course covers occupational diving up to 30 metres, wet-welding procedures and industry-standard safety practices. 

Nine welders have completed the training and are now qualified to support shipyards, ports, oil and gas facilities, defence units and inland waterway operators. The programme strengthens the national talent pipeline while reducing dependence on costly foreign certification and dry-docking. 

Additive manufacturing for marine and industrial repair

The institute is also advancing additive manufacturing (AM) for repairing large marine components. In a recent demonstration, researchers restored a bronze propeller with severe cavitation damage. 

The team scanned the damaged propeller, digitally reconstructed the missing geometry, and calibrated heat input using test walls. Material was then deposited layer by layer on the actual component. After machining and ultrasonic inspection, the repaired propeller met all structural requirements.

AM-based repair reduces component replacement and shortens repair timelines, particularly for vessels operating on inland waterways. To extend this capability, IIT Guwahati is developing a mobile wire-arc repair unit that can be deployed directly at shipyards, avoiding the cost and delay of transporting large components. 

Materials for demanding environments

Researchers are extending AM to fabricate functionally graded materials, in which composition changes gradually across a component. This eliminates the abrupt material interfaces created by processes such as explosion welding, which often become points of failure. 

In a recent project, separating stainless–mild steel plates at a refinery were replaced with a smoothly graded alternative. The method can also be applied to complex curved surfaces, expanding its relevance to marine structures. 

Turning research into national infrastructure

IIT Guwahati fosters a hands-on research environment where students and faculty work on applied problems with industry partners. Through indigenous certification, advanced repair methods and materials innovation, the institute is building repair capability as national infrastructure. This foundation is essential to sustaining India’s maritime growth and long-term technological ambitions.