Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed SWaDeS (Sea Water Desalination System), a portable water purification and desalination system designed to meet the operational drinking water needs of soldiers deployed in remote, coastal, island, desert and high-altitude areas.
SWaDeS can convert seawater and brackish/saline water into potable drinking water and is designed to operate without dependence on fixed infrastructure or grid electricity.
SWaDeS: Sea Water Desalination System
- Purpose: On-site purification of saline and brackish water for troops in extreme and isolated locations
- Developed by: Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur (a DRDO laboratory)
- User requirement: Designed based on projections from the Tri-Services
- Operational environment: Islands, coastal areas, deserts, high-altitude regions, patrol routes, emergency deployments
- Civil potential: Can be used in water-stressed civilian areas and disaster relief operations
Key Features:
- Does not require electricity
- No need for fixed infrastructure
- Suitable for remote, high-altitude, coastal, and forward areas
Technology Used
- Desalination + purification technology
- Removes:
- Dissolved salts
- Impurities and contaminants
- Produces water meeting permissible drinking water standards
- Works effectively in:
- Seawater
- Brackish water
- Saline inland water bodies
Variants and Portability
1. Manual (Hand-operated) Version
- Ultra-portable – can be carried and operated by a single soldier
- Suitable for:
- Long-range patrols
- Forward posts
- Emergency situations
- Capacity:
- Can meet the drinking water needs of 10–12 personnel
- Key advantage:
- No electricity or engine required
2. Engine-operated Version
- Designed for group deployments and semi-static locations
- Performance capability:
- Purifies seawater with salinity up to 35,000 mg/L Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
- Reduces TDS to below 500 mg/L, making it potable
- Capacity:
- Adequate for 20–25 soldiers
Operational Significance
- Enables self-sufficiency of troops in isolated locations
- Reduces dependence on logistical water supply chains
- Enhances soldier endurance, sustenance and survivability
- Especially useful in areas such as:
- Islands and coastal installations
- Deserts
- High-altitude regions like Pangong Tso (Ladakh), a saline lake near the India–China border
Strategic Importance
- Supports naval operations and coastal defence installations
- Improves operational readiness in forward and hostile terrains
- Aligns with Aatmanirbhar Bharat by strengthening indigenous defence technologies
- Acts as a force multiplier in non-combat situations such as:
- Natural disasters
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations
DRDO & Water Purification Systems
DRDO and Soldier Sustainment
- DRDO focuses not only on weapons but also on life-support and sustainment technologies
- Soldier-centric innovations improve:
- Mobility
- Endurance
- Survivability
Other Water Purification Systems by DRDO
DRDO has developed multiple systems for varied environments:
- Household water purifiers:
- Remove arsenic, iron, manganese
- CBRN Water Purification Systems:
- Designed for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear contaminated environments
- Large fixed units, vehicle-mounted, and transportable systems for military and civil use