‘India’s counter-terror doctrine changed after Operation Sindoor; modern warfare demands both bots & boots’
Chennai: Describing Operation Sindoor as a major shift in India’s counter-terror strategy following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said the 88-hour-long tri-services operation compelled Pakistan to seek a ceasefire.
The Army Chief was speaking during the inauguration of ‘Agnishodh’, a new Indian Army Research Cell at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. The facility has been established as part of a broader effort to integrate academic research with operational needs and support the Indian Army’s transformation agenda.
General Dwivedi said the Indian Armed Forces are preparing for fifth-generation warfare marked by non-contact operations and strategic psychological pressure. He said modern conflicts demand the co-existence of conventional forces and technological tools, where “boots must share space with bots”.
He said the Army is working towards self-reliance through collaborations under national technology missions like INDIAai, Chip-to-Startup, and Project QuILA. Institutions like MCTE Mhow are acting as key strategic partners in these efforts, he added.
Gen Dwivedi mentioned the contributions of Army research cells at IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, and IISc Bengaluru, which are focused on translating academic knowledge into usable military applications.
He said the Agnishodh cell at IIT Madras will help convert lab-scale innovations into field-ready defence technologies. It will work with the IIT Madras Research Park and organisations such as the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Centre (AMTDC) and Pravartak Technologies Foundation.
These collaborations are expected to support Indian Army projects in additive manufacturing, cyber security, wireless systems, unmanned aerial platforms, and quantum computing.
He said the research facility would also help upskill Army personnel in emerging technologies, thereby building a more capable and tech-enabled workforce within the military.
During his visit to Chennai, General Dwivedi also visited the Officers Training Academy (OTA), where he reviewed infrastructure and training methods. He said the OTA is equipping cadets to handle evolving security challenges. He interacted with Army veterans and honoured four retired officers with Veteran Achievers Awards for their contribution to the Armed Forces.
The Indian Army, he said, is undergoing major changes under its “Decade of Transformation” plan, which includes doctrinal shifts and a focus on integrated responses to grey-zone conflicts.
The Army chief said initiatives like Agnishodh would support India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047 through sustained progress in indigenous defence innovation
