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DRDO Develops Hand-Operated Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS) for Troops
DRDO develops a hand-operated Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS) for soldiers deployed in remote, coastal, and high-altitude areas. The portable system provides for converting saline water into safe drinking water for small troop groups during patrols and deployments in water-scarce regions.
Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS) :
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Authority | Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) |
| Developing laboratory | Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur |
| System name | Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS) |
| Operation modes | Manual operation mode and an engine-operated mode |
| Primary purpose | Purifying saline water into potable drinking water |
| Design features | Lightweight and suitable for field conditions |
| Manual version capacity | Authorises meeting emergency water needs of 10–12 personnel; can be carried by a single soldier |
| Engine-operated version capacity | Supports 20–25 soldiers |
| Salinity reduction specification | 35,000 mg/L TDS to below 500 mg/L |
| Applicability | Applies to remote, coastal, and high-altitude areas; useful for naval operations and coastal installations; can be used in inland saline areas like Pangong Tso in Ladakh |
| Operational relevance | Provides for reliable hydration during long patrols and isolated deployments in regions with limited freshwater availability |