In top meet, Army plans going aggressive on 'niche' tech

The Indian Army's top commanders in its meeting that ended on Thursday, have decided to embark aggressively on the effort to develop and acquire high technology weapons, platforms and military assets, reports senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing military crisis with China and in the backdrop of signing of foundational defence and technology agreements with the US, the top brass of the Indian Army has deliberated at length on how to go big on 'niche' technologies that are emerging on the military horizon, multiple sources have told ETV Bharat.

The ongoing plan for adopting such technologies and analysing its possible impact on warfare got a major push when such technologies were discussed in detail during the Indian Army Commanders' Conference (ACC) that ended in the national capital on Thursday.

The ACC was held in New Delhi from Monday to Thursday (October 26-29).

While the two-front war threat posed by China and Pakistan was a key focus point, the 'niche' technologies issue was kick-started in the apex meet with a presentation along with a detailed roadmap by the Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC), one of the seven commands of the Indian Army.

Buzzwords in the world of military technology nowadays, 'niche' areas include hypersonics, electromagnetic weapons, artificial intelligence, drone swarms, robotics, lasers, loiter munitions, big data analysis and algorithmic warfare.

While India has made certain advancements on hypersonic weapons, it has collaborated substantially with the US on drone swarms.

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The presentation included a cost-benefit analysis of the new technology areas that came with a time-frame.

"The plan involves aggregation of niche, high technology and enable its integration into areas of military operations, reconnaissance, surveillance and aid the process of intelligence-gathering within a particular time frame," another source told ETV Bharat.

ARTRAC had prepared the presentation after an about three-month-long study made on niche technologies.

One of ARTRAC's core mandates is to lay down warfare concepts and doctrines in the fields of strategy, operational art, tactics, logistics, training and human resource development stimulating a real-time scenario.

Another key issue taken up was the upgrade of road infrastructure in the border areas - considered one of the root causes of the current India-China faceoff.

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All the commanders made presentations on issues specific to their commands besides deliberating on ways to ensure distribution of optimum manpower and resources. Another issue taken up was the roadmap for 'automatisation' in the Indian Army.

Held twice a year, usually in March-April and in October, the ACC undertakes a 360-degree look at the current emerging perspectives on issues relating to operations, logistics, administration, human resources and welfare. This is also the body that clears promotions, addresses complaints and approves career courses for army officers.

Before the latest meet, the last time ACC was on June 23.