In a significant step toward modernising India’s defence capabilities, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam co-chaired a high-level meeting of military and civilian experts in New Delhi.

The deliberations, held as part of the Indian Army’s declared “Year of Technology Absorption – 2024”, focussed on harnessing frontier technologies and indigenous innovations to create a future-ready force that aligns with the national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) and Viksit Bharat@2047 (Developed India by 2047).

The discussion centred on the absorption of cutting-edge innovations in domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cyber and space technologies, advanced weaponry, and communication systems, with an emphasis on reducing external dependency and strengthening domestic defence production.

Both military and civil experts underscored the importance of integrating indigenous systems into the Army’s structure to ensure preparedness against ever-evolving challenges in modern warfare.

The forum reflected a clear synergy between India’s strategic military goals and civilian technological capabilities, showcasing the convergence of strengths required to secure the country’s future defence posture.

This initiative builds upon the precedent set in August 2024, when the Army’s senior leadership, under General Dwivedi’s chairmanship for the first time after assuming office on June 30, 2024, gathered in Delhi for a landmark strategy session.

That meeting sought to define the Army’s larger role during the “Amrit Kaal” — the 25-year period leading to India’s centenary of Independence — and laid the foundation for transformational reforms aimed at aligning the force with the government’s aspirations of making India a global power and a desirable nation to live in by 2047.

The leadership then had articulated Indian Army’s Vision@2047: to evolve into a modern, agile, adaptive, technology-enabled, and self-reliant force capable of deterring and decisively winning wars across multiple domains of operations, in full synergy with other Services.

The latest round of deliberations reinforced this long-term roadmap by placing strong emphasis on absorption of frontier technologies for operational readiness, while also outlining collaborative frameworks with civilian stakeholders, academia, and industry.

The deliberations conveyed a shared national commitment to developing indigenous solutions for defence, thereby not only safeguarding sovereignty but also stimulating innovation-led industrial growth.

With multi-domain operations becoming increasingly complex, experts highlighted the urgent need for integration of advanced systems to ensure agility and flexibility across the operational spectrum.

Officials stressed that the initiative embodies the dual goals of strengthening national defence while also supporting India’s broader aspiration of technological leadership. By absorbing and indigenisation of new-age technologies, the Army aims to reduce its technological gaps, maintain response readiness to emerging threats, and simultaneously contribute to India’s vision of strategic autonomy.

Through forums like these, the Army is recalibrating its doctrine and capabilities to be future-ready while staying firmly anchored in indigenous innovation.

The Army-NITI Aayog engagement represents a crucial step toward transforming the Indian Army into a modern, technology-enabled force with a strong indigenous foundation, ensuring the nation’s preparedness not only for current challenges but also the uncertainties of tomorrow.

Based On A PTI Report