Agnishodh: How Indian Army Plans To Boost Self-Reliance In Defence Tech With Research Cell At IIT Madras

Indian Army has advancing and directing defence orders to domestic manufactures as it aims to boost self-reliance in the sector. India currently manufactures 65% of defence equipment domestically. Now, in a move to increase ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence technology, the Indian Army has joined hands with IIT Madras.

In a landmark step towards Atmanirbharta in defence technology, the army will establish ‘Agnishodh’, the Indian Army Research Cell (IARC) on the IIT Madras campus. The facility was inaugurated by Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday (August 4), who is on a 2-day visit to Chennai.

What is Indian Army Research Cell Agnishodh?

Part of Indian Army’s broader transformation framework, guided by the Five Pillars of Transformation articulated by the COAS, new IITM–Indian Army Research Centre Agnishodh would transform academic excellence into battlefield innovation.

Among the Five Pillars of Transformation, this new research facility specifically advances one of the pillars – Modernisation and Technology Infusion – while representing the Indian Army’s drive to seamlessly integrate academic research with real-time operational applications at the same time.

To strengthen self-reliance in defence sector, some of the government initiatives include the Defence Acquisition Procedure, liberalised FDI policy, development of defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and simplification of the industrial licensing process.

Agnishodh is another step in that direction.

Agnishodh: What this new Indian Army Research Cell aims to do?

Indian Army’s and IIT Madras’ Agnishodh collaboration will further extend into the IIT Madras Research Park, working alongside entities such as the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Centre (AMTDC) and Pravartak Technologies Foundation. This will serve as a unique platform to convert lab-scale innovations into field-ready technologies.

This new facility gains significance in the respect that it would be crucial in upskilling military personnel in key emerging areas including additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, quantum computing, wireless communication, and unmanned aerial systems building a tech-empowered human resource base within the Armed Forces.

Indian Armed Forces are prepared for fifth-generation conflicts driven by non-contact warfare, strategic tempo, and psychological dominance, Gen Dwivedi said while addressing a gathering at IIT Madras. He also stressed on Indian Army’s commitment to self-reliance under “Swadeshikaran Se Sashaktikaran”.