MCEME Secunderabad seminar explores robotics, autonomous systems to build future-ready defence capabilities

MCEME Secunderabad's seminar focuses on robotics and autonomous systems to enhance India's future-ready defense capabilities.

The Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME), Secunderabad, organised a two-day national seminar on ‘Robotics, Autonomous Drone Systems and Additive Manufacturing for Defence Forces from February 27 to 28, bringing together stakeholders from the Armed Forces, industry, academia and policy-making bodies to deliberate on building indigenous, future-ready military capabilities.

The seminar aimed to foster synergy among key stakeholders to address emerging operational challenges in an increasingly technology-driven battlespace. The deliberations were structured around four core themes: the role of robotics and autonomous systems in transforming 21st century warfare, technology substacks required for autonomous platforms, defence and industrial preparedness for robotics and cyber-physical systems, and additive manufacturing as a key enabler for future military systems.

Lieutenant General Neeraj Varshney, Commandant of MCEME and Colonel Commandant of the Corps of EME, said emerging and disruptive technologies were reshaping warfare into a multi-domain, multi-modal and increasingly non-kinetic construct. He noted that precision, speed and technological disruption were redefining the character of conflict and that future success would depend on effective exploitation of data, information and integrated cognitive-physical capabilities.

Delivering the keynote address, Lieutenant General Rajiv Kumar Sahni, Director General EME and Colonel Commandant of the Corps of EME, underscored the importance of strengthening operational preparedness and strategic deterrence through multi-domain operations, multi-sensor data fusion and mission-oriented architectures. He stressed the need for interoperability, cyber resilience, human oversight and a whole-of-nation approach aligned with the Make in India for the World vision.