By THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.C|
In a landmark initiative set to transform India’s offshore and energy infrastructure education ecosystem, the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with iDG10 Solutions Pvt. Ltd. to launch the country’s first industry-anchored Subsea Pipeline Design training, validation, and consultancy programme.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar, and Silvi Francis Farnand, A&P Director and Co-founder, iDG10 Solutions Pvt. Ltd. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Sarang Gumfekar, Associate Dean, Continuing Education and Outreach, and Prof. Dhiraj K. Mahajan, who will coordinate the initiative from IIT Ropar.

Spanning a duration of 60 months, the partnership combines IIT Ropar’s academic and research excellence with iDG10’s proprietary Subsea Pipeline Design Tool (SPDT). The collaboration aims to establish an India-based capability that integrates education, software validation, joint consultancy, and Capstone research projects — a major step toward self-reliance in specialized offshore technology.

Building Indian Capability in Subsea Engineering

The partnership will establish a comprehensive ecosystem for subsea pipeline design training, tool validation, and industry-facing consultancy. It marks a significant shift in reducing reliance on foreign institutions for such niche skill development. iDG10 Solutions will provide student and short-term educational licenses of its SPDT software to IIT Ropar for academic use, enabling students, researchers, and faculty to work on real-world pipeline design workflows.

Flagship Training and Career Opportunities

The collaboration’s flagship Subsea Pipeline Design Training (SPDT) programme will include a five-day classroom course conducted at IIT Ropar, followed by a 21-day live online project where participants use SPDT for complete pipeline design exercises.

Eligible participants include final-year B.Tech and M.Tech students (Mechanical or Civil Engineering) and professionals from Oil & Gas, offshore, marine, and related sectors. On successful completion, participants will receive a joint certificate from IIT Ropar and iDG10 Solutions.

The top five candidates from each batch will receive three months of extended SPDT tool access and technical support, offering valuable exposure and enhanced career readiness.

Expanding Research and Consultancy Horizons

Beyond training, the collaboration extends to joint consultancy services, combining IIT Ropar’s research expertise and iDG10’s software-driven solutions to support sectors such as Oil & Gas (offshore), Water and Wastewater infrastructure, Hydrogen transportation, District heating and cooling networks, Carbon Capture transport/storage/utilization (CCTSU), Mining and slurry transport, and Thermal power plant cooling systems.

A Game-Changing Step Toward Self-Reliance

This MoU represents a pivotal move in developing home-grown capability for subsea and offshore engineering. By merging academic excellence with industrial technology, it enables skill localization, improved research outcomes, and access to affordable, India-based consultancy aligned with international standards. The initiative supports national objectives of technological self-reliance in energy transition domains such as hydrogen and carbon capture.

Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar, said, “The MoU marks an important step toward building home-grown capability in a highly specialized and strategic area of offshore engineering. Our students and researchers will gain practical, tool-based experience that directly addresses industry needs and national infrastructure priorities.”

Silvi Francis Farnand, A&P Director and Co-founder, iDG10 Solutions Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are excited to partner with IIT Ropar to bring SPDT-driven education and consultancy to India’s engineers. This collaboration will help bridge the gap and enable faster, safer, and more cost-effective subsea pipeline projects.”