The Tri-Service Academia Tech Symposium (T-SATS) has started at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, inaugurated by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, earlier this week. The Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, was also present at the maiden symposium and interacted with the academia, R&D Institutes, industry bodies, and key stakeholders. Boosting synergy among the Indian Armed Forces was one of the key topics.
Directors and Heads of Departments of academic and premier R&D institutions, along with students from 62 institutes, including IISc, IITs, IIITs, and Private Technology Institutes, are participating in the symposium.
Addressing the tri-services symposium, the Army Chief said the recent geopolitical environment has also "clearly established that strategic autonomy will always be contingent upon 'Atmanirbharta' (self-reliance)".
"I think this forum, besides this, is also a signal. A signal that Indian defence forces rely on indigenous intellectual academic research capabilities to develop home-grown technology that empowers our soldiers, protects our borders, and upholds our sovereignty. The recent geopolitical environment has also clearly established that strategic autonomy will always be contingent upon 'Atmanirbharta," the COAS cited.
"Conflicts in the recent past have demonstrated that the effectiveness of the unmanned aerial systems, and counter-UAS for exploiting the airspace, just above the land battle area. An effective management and exploitation of this space, which is known as air littoral, has become an imperative," he said.
With the persistent presence of the weapon, radar system, artillery, missiles, unmanned aerial systems, and C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems), this space "needs exploitation" as well as efficient management, including that of the electromagnetic spectrum.
"We need a de novo innovative solution for force application and force preservation in this limited space of air littoral," the Army chief said.
In his address, he shared that the Army has commenced the "first Army internship programme this year", received an encouraging response, and selected 60 young minds out of over 50,000 applicants.
"We will take this ahead in a bigger way next year," Gen Dwivedi said.
Meanwhile, the CDS emphasised the critical role of academia, start-ups and industry in developing indigenous capabilities across platforms, weapons, networks and doctrines to meet future operational demand.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir V Kamat also attended the symposium.
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