The Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre recently said that increasing of infrastructure for the digital army based on state-of-the-art technologies is a top priority of the government.

In his inaugural address at the Defcom India 2017 with the theme ‘Infrastructure and Skilled Human Resource for Digital Army’, Dr Bhamre said that this initiative for creation of operational information networks and systems should be expedited at all levels. He stated that the robust, secure, high capacity data networks and information systems are an urgent necessity for Operational Commanders. “They are also a critical facet of the force modernisation plans of the Indian Army, which will further form a fulcrum for Tri-Services integration in times to come,” he added. The Minister however, said that the creation of infrastructure for the Digital Army will need indigenous Indian solutions and systems from the security point of view. Dr Bhamre emphasised that the creation of indigenous capabilities in information and communication technologies (ICT) for the defence sector will give a major fillip to the ‘Make in India’ programme.

The Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat said that in the present complex environment, technology is imbibed by the armed forces in a manner that will rapidly keep pace with the changing technologies before they become obsolete. “But for that to happen it is important that we are able to identify the correct type of technology and equipment that is to be inducted into the armed forces”, he stated. General Bipin Rawat further emphasised that the Army has to keep pace with the digitised world and ensure that most of its systems are digitised as early as possible. At the same time it has to be remembered that war will be fought on the border and therefore the technology to be incorporated into the Army’s communication system has to be ruggedised and lightweight.

The two-day event organised jointly by the Corps of Signals of the Indian Army and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), was also addressed by Signal Officer-in-Chief and Senior Colonel Commandant, Corps of Signals Lt General Ashish Ranjan Prasad and Director General of CII Chandrajit Banerjee.