Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal VR Chaudhari said technology had changed the ways wars are fought. He listed hypersonic weapons, very long-range radars and artificial intelligence-backed decisions as key factors.
In his address at a public event on March 21, 2023, IAF Chief Vivek Ram Chaudhari said: “The key to faster development of niche technology is to identify core areas of development, clearly articulate requirements and closely interact with the industry to design and develop the technology.” He also said path-breaking technologies like quantum computing, artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems are knocking at the door.
“Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs), particularly lasers, provide significant advantages over traditional weapons such as precision engagement, low cost per shot, logistical benefits and low detectability. Our defence industries need to further the development of these weapons and also integrate them onto airborne platforms to get desired ranges and accuracy,” he said.
Advanced technologies in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have increasing applications and practical relevance today as well as in the future. This will lead to a much higher demand for armed drones. Research is already progressing in drone-related technologies.
The application of these technologies in the aerospace industry has the potential to entirely transform the way wars would be fought. Intelligent military ecosystems are the future of the battlefield, he added. The Air Chief Marshal said these systems need to be highly mobile and interconnected, supported by communication and operating across domains.
With abnormal relations prevailing with a strategically and militarily robust country like China, Chinese President Xi Jinping has also well publicised its plan of “Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation” China’s People’s Liberation Army wants to “basically complete” modernisation by 2036 and be a “world-class force” by 2049.
It becomes imperative that India too must adopt and catch up with the latest technology and be aware of the developments that are taking place in this domain. In this Amrit Kaal, the Indian defence sector is going through magnificent phases of transformation, which takes along the ambitious Indian vision of ‘Atma Nirbharta’, self-reliance.
Indian defence stakeholders and the industries need to coordinate, organise and articulate their strategies to design, modernise and develop the defence domain. The defence weapons of India will be absolutely different when India will turn 100, than the present India at 75 years.
The Indian defence sector is looking at the next 25 years, that is, 2047, when India completes its glorious century of existence and progress. Atma Nirbhar mantras are fitting well with the ongoing progress of the exponential rise in the edge-cutting technology of defence.
