A seminar cum exhibition was conducted today by the Indian Army on the theme “Year of Technology Absorption - Empowering the Soldier”. The event was conducted by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), on behalf of the Indian Army in Manekshaw Centre.

The seminar brought together technology experts and industry professionals to deliberate on the adoption of modern technologies like Artificial Intelligence and advanced hardware in the military domain. It aimed at fostering a collaborative environment for academia and the defence industry to fast-pace the ongoing initiatives for technological absorption in the military.

The event commenced with an inaugural address by General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). Keynote Address was delivered by Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM, NITI AAYOG). This was followed by an exhibition, demonstrating the progress and capabilities of India's Defence Sector.

The COAS underscored the vital need of being self-reliant in warfighting platforms and systems besides achieving self-sufficiency in critical technologies through indigenous Research & Development. He emphasised that the Technology has emerged as the new strategic arena of competition which drives geo-political powerplay. He also said that technology is being leveraged for weaponisation of varied domains, ranging from Information to Supply Chains. Citing examples from recent conflicts, he mentioned that disruptive and dual use technologies are proliferating at unprecedented scale and transforming the Character of Modern Wars. He mentioned that a suite of digital technologies encompassing Electronic Warfare, Micro-electronics, Drones, Precision Attack Systems, Loiter Munitions and Star-link Terminals are challenging traditional force multipliers.

The COAS reiterated the commitment of Indian Army to continue its pursuit towards transitioning into a modern, agile, adaptive and technology enabled future ready force. He urged all stakeholders, the Services, Industry Partners, Start-Ups, Research & Development institutions, Academia and Policy Makers to synergise their efforts and develop a vibrant national defence eco-system.

The seminar was conducted in three sessions, with first session focussed on “Contemporary Technology and Industry Capabilities”. The session was moderated by Lieutenant General Vineet Gaur, Director General Capability Development and the speakers were eminent personalities from academia and industry such as Professor Mayank Vatsa (IIT Jodhpur), Dr Mandira Majumder, Rajiv Mehrotra, Vaibhav Gupta, and Colonel Karandeep Singh (Retd). This session analysed the emerging role of the Indian Defence Industry in strengthening of overall defence architecture. The speakers also deliberated upon the technology developed so far and future roadmap to build cutting-edge technologies for military usages.

The second session was moderated by Lt General Subrata Saha (Retd) and focussed on “Empowering Soldiers: Amplifying Impact Through Modern Technologies”. Major General Sunil Mehrotra from Signals Directorate and S.B. Taneja from DRDO examined options to leverage present and next-generation technologies to enhance the capabilities of Indian Army. Looking beyond the domain of land, this session analysed the role of space and cyber domains in the present context and future scenarios.

The final session on “Maximising Technology Effectiveness & Soldier Preparedness” was moderated by Lt General P.R. Shankar (Retd). The speakers were Lt General Rajesh Pant (Retd), Geo George Philip, Dr K. Mohanavelu, and Major General Ajay Sharma. The participants brainstormed wide-ranging options ranging from military applications of cyberspace, impact of drones and satellites on the modern battlefield, besides delving upon hardware and software options to empower soldiers.

The seminar culminated with closing remarks by Lt General Tarun Kumar Aich, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Strategy). Reflecting positive thoughts on impressive trajectory of Indian Army's transformation, he reiterated that adoption of niche technology in tandem with agile doctrinal reforms is extremely crucial. He also stated that Indian Army will continue to foster a spirit of collaboration with the industry and academia to empower the soldiers.

The proceedings underscored the importance of technology absorption in empowering soldiers besides providing a snapshot of available solutions and highlighted the contributions of the Indian Defence Industry, delineating their strengths, future trajectories, and their pivotal role in ensuring future ready armed forces.