The Indian Navy launched an iDEX Winners-2025 challenge on December 19, 2025, for developing autonomous underwater drone swarms to neutralize seabed mines, presented at INS Satavahana in Visakhapatnam. This initiative requires at least ten AI-driven drones equipped with sonar for independent mine detection and destruction using 7-kg explosive payloads at 60-meter depths, targeting a cost under ₹8 crore per pack. Building on DRDO’s NSTL advancements in man-portable AUVs from Visakhapatnam, which enable networked swarm operations for rapid threat classification via deep-learning and acoustic communication, the program bolsters India’s maritime dominance in the Indian Ocean Region. It minimizes risks from manned mine-clearing, aligning with Aatmanirbhar Bharat by fostering indigenous innovation against regional underwater threats.