Working underwater comes with high risks and challenges, especially for inspection, repair, and monitoring tasks in oceans, rivers, ports, and docks. Coratia Technologies, a deep-tech startup from Rourkela, is changing that landscape with its innovative underwater robots, capable of performing critical operations without putting humans in danger.
Founded by NIT Rourkela alumni Debendra Pradhan and Biswajit Swain, Coratia builds both industrial and defence-grade underwater robots. The duo first began experimenting with robotic systems during their college years, participating in national and international contests that exposed them to the global underwater robotics market. After corporate stints in India and abroad, they launched Coratia full-time in 2021.
Coratia’s first commercial product, Jaladuta, is designed for industrial inspection of bridges, dams, pipelines, ports, and ship hulls. Equipped with cameras, sonar, lights, and a robotic arm, it collects visual and data inputs remotely, eliminating the need for divers. The robot is sold directly to clients and also deployed as part of inspection services.
For defence applications, the company developed Jalsimha UWROVs under the Indian Defence iDEX program. These robots are capable of seabed checks, hull inspections, and watch duties, having been successfully tested in seas and inland waters. In 2024, the Indian Navy signed a ₹66 crore contract for Jalsimha, marking a major milestone for India-made underwater systems.
“Building mission-critical underwater robots in India proves our capability and reduces reliance on expensive foreign systems,” said Debendra Pradhan. CTO Biswajit Swain added that domestic production helps cut costs while strengthening national security.
Coratia Technologies’ success reflects a growing trend of Indian startups innovating in high-tech defence and industrial solutions, blending homegrown engineering talent with real-world applications to create world-class underwater robotic systems.
