Army, IIT Gandhinagar sign MoU to strengthen collaboration in R&D

Ahmedabad, Nov 4 (PTI) The Indian Army Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar to strengthen collaboration in research, development and academic exchange.

As per the MoU, IIT Gandhinagar will assess and work on specific requirements of the army through innovation, training, internship opportunities, research, capability and knowledge building, resource sharing, certification, technology incubation, and undertaking joint projects, an official release said.

It will be aimed at meeting the operational requirements and addressing Indian Army Problem Statement, it said.

Major General Mohit Gandhi, Commandant at EME School Vadodara signed the MoU on behalf of the army. Professor Rajat Moona, Director of IIT Gandhinagar, represented the institute.

"This MoU will enable the participation of Army personnel in IIT Gandhinagar's academic programmes, seminars, webinars, conferences, workshops on niche technology and expert interactions, thereby enhancing their technical acumen and innovation mindset," the release said.

"The collaboration will bridge the gap between cutting edge academic research and real-world operational requirements, ensuring the Army remains technologically agile and self-reliant. For IIT Gandhinagar, it presents an opportunity to apply its expertise towards national security and defence innovation," added the release.

The MoU marks a decisive step towards building a robust civil-military research ecosystem, promoting Atmanirbharta and indigenous technology development, it said. PTI KA NP