In race for tech supremacy, India can ill-afford to be mere spectator, says top Army officer
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The race for technological supremacy has begun, and India can ill-afford to be a mere spectator in it, Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla , the Army's Master General Sustenance (MGS), said on Monday. He called on the defence industry to "march together" with the armed forces to create a secure future for the country.In his address at an 'Industry Interactive Session' hosted by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here, Lt Gen Aujla impressed upon the representatives of the domestic defence industry the importance of "customised solutions", as what is needed for Siachen will be different from the requirements for the armed forces in the plains or the desert."I am also looking at a capability that this industry should have. At the end of the day, even if we are in a conflict, you should be able to give me a solution based on my requirements within the earliest possible timeframe. So, that is the level of investment and R&D that has to happen," he said.The officer emphasised that if the end-user is the armed forces, quality should be the defining factor for the industry as "we are working for a national cause". He pointed out that it is "my moral duty to ensure that the soldier gets the very best".The industry and the armed forces can be "co-creators" of a very secure, robust and dynamic India of the future, Lt Gen Aujla said."Global dynamics are changing. India is also changing and so are the armed forces. When we are changing and we have got boots on the ground, we want equal boots on the ground and on the shop floor as well."So, let us not walk separately. Let us march together, let's be comrades in capability development," he told the gathering.In his address, the officer emphasised that India's military power, as far as the future is concerned, "will no longer get decided only in boardrooms and operation rooms.""It will now get decided also in R&D labs, on testing grounds and on the potency of the industry.""The race for technology or technological supremacy has begun and India can ill-afford to be a mere spectator... or just a participant. You (industry) are the people who will have to... take the charge and come up trumps," Lt Gen Aujla said. "So, it's a clarion call for everyone.""We have to rise, we have to step up, we have to deliver for the national cause. And in that national cause, revenue procurement and sustainability are extremely important," he added.Later, Lt Gen Aujla interacted with the audience and fielded a range of questions, including those on various policies of the Defence Ministry and some of the issues faced by private players in the defence sector.The Ministry of Defence has declared 2025 as the 'Year of Reforms'.Responding to a question on his expectations from these anticipated reforms, Lt Gen Aujla said he is "very, very optimistic".In his address earlier, the officer also said his proposition is that one "invests 40 per cent in the present, but looks at 60 per cent for the future"."We have to be ahead of the curve to give us solutions which not only enhance the combat effectiveness of the Indian Army but you should be looking at the global needs as well," he added."From being cost-effective to having capacities which are aligned with the needs of the nation, to quality that you produce, to the timeline that you adhere, to the competitiveness that has to come, whether it is cooperation versus competition or it is cooperation and competition, it is for you to take a call," Lt Gen Aujla said.The MGS of the Army said that as users "we are looking at our equipment and our sustainability in a matrix, which is absolutely top-notch". There is "no scope of any kind of dilution" whatsoever when it comes to quality, he underlined.Emphasising that "our biggest strength today has to be technology", he also pitched for hiking the quantum of investment in R&D. Through the industry, the Army is looking at digital transformation, effective use of AI, Machine Learning, blockchain, robotics, and enhancing cyber security, he said.He also said that unless the MSMEs and start-ups become strong and resilient, the Indian defence industry won't be able to make inroads in the desired manner.
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