The United Nations (UN) has declared this decade (2021 – 2030) as the Decade of the Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development. The oceans and the freshwater systems are primary regulators of the environment on Planet Earth and it is important that we generate significant knowledge and understanding of the huge water bodies that exist.

The Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) framework as proposed by the Maritime Research Centre (MRC), in collaboration with M/S NirDhwani Technology Pvt Ltd (NDT), facilitates nuanced policy & technology intervention, along with acoustic capacity & capability building. The socio-economic challenges in the region, should be reason to prioritise Science & Technology (S&T), to drive long term sustainable development activities, including the physical challenge of sub-optimal Sonar performance in the tropical waters. Field experimental R&D is important, however it is highly resource intensive and thus nations in the IOR find it difficult to encourage such efforts. Local site specific appreciation is the key to plan any initiative. The Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) will require, very specialized focus and high end Science & Technology (S&T) support.