Indian Army working on over 230 future-ready defence technologies to modernise force
By Anish Kumar | First Published Aug 10, 2024, 8:49 AM ISTThe Indian Army is advancing over 230 projects of future-ready, indigenous defence technologies, aligning with the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative. Collaborating with academia, R&D organizations, and start-ups, the Army's efforts, driven by the Army Design Bureau and Army Technology Board, are enhancing defence capabilities through projects in niche technology domains.
New Delhi: As part of its induction of cutting-edge, Indigenous technologies into its operational framework and giving impetus to the government’s ambitious “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative in the defence sector, the Indian Army is currently overseeing over 230 projects of future-ready defence technologies.
In collaboration with academia, research & development organisations and start-ups, the Indian Army has been harnessing the nation’s intellectual capital for the development of indigenous defence technologies.
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According to the sources in the defence and security establishment, this synergy is set to propel India’s defence capabilities to new heights.
In the past several years, the Indian Army has initiated several initiatives to engage the wider technologies ecosystem. The initiatives are primarily led by the Army Design Bureau (ADB) and the Army Technology Board (ATB), along with other key entities.
In 2022, the Army Technology Board (ATB) had only 17 projects but now it is “overseeing 62 projects across 13 niche technology domains, including Ramjet Projectiles, Low Light Imaging, and Sensor Fused Munitions, among others.” “These projects, worth approximately Rs 228 crores, involve 23 academic institutes,” sources said.
It must be mentioned here that the ATB provides a platform to leverage the technological expertise of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) into useful solutions and products for the Army, projects that have low gestation period and help to improve the efficiency of its troops.
Command Indigenisation and Research & Development (IR&D), under the seven Commands of the Army, projects have also seen significant growth. “Focused on solving problem statements from the field army, the number of IR&D projects has skyrocketed from 18 in 2022 to 176 this year, worth Rs 59 crores, involving 14 academic technology institutes,” the sources added.
Created in 2016, the Army Design Bureau (ADB) is an interface between the Indian Army, industry, the DRDO and academia. As per the sources in the Army, the ADB has established connections with over 200 top academic technology institutions and 50 premier R&D organisations across the country.
“This outreach has deepened the Army's understanding of the dual-use technologies being researched and the capabilities available within the Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) of these institutions.”
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