Indian military and sustainable technology

 technology absorption

The Indian military is moving in the right direction, but the challenge lies in sustaining technology absorption with a nuanced understanding of the requirements 

 Army and year 2024 as the ‘Year of Technology Absorption’

1 This theme  means , Army’s focus on technology to transform itself and  to keep ahead of adversaries in the context of the  of warfare. 

2 The means and end in this regard are visualised under the umbrella of Atmanirbharta.

disruptive technology (DT) 

• comprising artificial intelligence, 
• autonomous weapon systems such as drones, sensors, robotics, space technology, 
• and hypersonic weapon systems. 

Several nations, led by the United States and China, have remarkable accomplishments / उपलब्धियां  in the field of DTs. 

The strategic competition and engagements in the future.

In military parlance, absorption implies 

the acquisition, adaptation and integration of technologies into existing structures called legacy systems. 

Complimenting legacy systems

Analysts who see a military revolution in technology, usually argue that new technologies have made the modern battlefield more lethal / घातक . 

 recent wars such as Russia- Ukraine and Armenia-Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh), is not very much different from that seen in wars of an earlier era. 

 fact that technological advances will not be the sole determinative in war and are only a part of what shapes outcomes.

 One of the reasons behind ‘advantage Russia’ on the battlefield 

now is in the Russian army employing traditional methodologies to fight the war.

 Aspects such as consolidating traditional defence lines and a stronger military industrial base are what matter finally.

 The Indian military by focusing on DTs and indigenous upgrades in defence manufacture in tandem / बाद वाला , is certainly striking the way ahead.

Adapting to new conditions is crucial

१ क्या है महत्वपूर्ण क्या पुराणी चीजें भी काम की 

The most important adaptations are often not technological but operational and tactical / योजनापूर्ण, कौशलपूर्ण , i.e., how a military fights at various levels.

 They involve changes in the way armies use the tools at their disposal. 

२ फैलाव, आवरण और छिपाव का फायदा उठाकर दुश्मन की गोलाबारी के संपर्क में आने को कम किया जा सके

Over a century ago, armies developed tactics that reduced their exposure to enemy fire by exploiting dispersion, cover and concealment. Such practices hold even more importance in the current era.

३ In present battle conditions, weapon platforms such as tanks must adapt to become more survivable

This will require a change in tactics and a greater integration of different types of capabilities.

 With a plethora / बहुत सारा  of sensors on the battlefield, it has become almost impossible to hide. 

Tanks, for example, will have to operate widely dispersed, accompanied by electronic warfare units to detect and jam aerial platforms of the enemy. 

४ infantry on the battlefield

 while operating dispersed will need an excellent standard of junior leadership to lead men in compartmentalised and high-tech battles.

Planning ahead

planning for future plans 

Rather than discarding conventional platforms in favour of purely digital solutions, the technology and its attributes need to be at the centre of planning for future plans. 

This will be a process that starts with the acknowledgement of vulnerabilities and sensitivities and the gap between them.

essential ? 

An understanding of the latest technologies, their potential, and the context in which they can be utilised are essential. 

macro level aspects जिनको अपनाया जाना चाहिए  

Technology absorption will also necessarily include several macro level aspects such as

•  organisational restructuring,
• 
  
•  the management of human resources 
• 
  
• and cultivating specialists not merely at the higher levels but also decentralised at execution levels, 
• 
  
• civil military fusion, 
• 
  
• having a structure and policies to ensure data integrity,
• 
  
•  and having a procurement policy that is applicable to DTs.

आगे की चुनौतियाँ 

The Indian military is moving in the desired direction but the challenge will be to sustain this with a nuanced understanding of the requirements as applicable. 

In this context, there are many lessons from recent and ongoing wars, and should not be lost sight of.

source the hindu