Bengaluru, May 6 (Representative) The Indian Army’s Southern Command Headquarters in Pune, along with the Dakshin Bharat Area in Chennai and Synergia Foundation, is set to host a groundbreaking conclave aimed at bringing together senior Indian Army officers, leading academia, strategic experts, industry representatives, and startups. The event is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru from May 7 to May 10. A press briefing held here was attended by notable figures such as Lt Gen KS Brar, AVSM, GOC of Dakshin Bharat Area, and Tobby Simon, Founder and President of Synergia Foundation. The conclave will witness participation from esteemed bodies such as the National Security Advisory Board of the Government of India and The National Security Council Secretariat – Government of India. Notable personalities, including Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, and Vice Chief of the Army Staff, will grace the event. Ambassador PS Raghavan, Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board, is slated to deliver the keynote address.
With a focus on the future of conflict, the conclave aims to facilitate discussions between the defense industry, including startups, innovators, venture capitalists, and defense public sector undertakings (DPSUs), to explore opportunities for collaboration and technological advancement in the defense sector. Key themes include cybersecurity, quantum encryption, artificial intelligence, aerospace and defense, satellites, space, and advanced computing. Over three days, the conclave will feature a diverse array of sessions, roundtable discussions, and exhibitions. Day 1 will kick off with a roundtable for the exchange of ideas, followed by sessions on various topics such as future conflicts, space exploration, leveraging startups, and the role of applied research in developing future battlefield technologies. Day 2 will delve deeper into industry-military linkages, the technological needs of the Indian Army, energy considerations for war stamina, and financial strategies for startups.
The sessions aim to foster collaboration and innovation to address the evolving challenges of modern warfare. Simon emphasised the importance of adapting to changing geopolitical and security paradigms, stressing the need for collective action to transform risks into opportunities. He highlighted the role of the conclave in facilitating dialogue between stakeholders and driving innovation in defense technology. Key speakers at the conclave include eminent figures such as Prof Gopal Jagdeesh from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at IISC, Dr BN Suresh, recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards, and Arun Ramchandani, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of L&T Defence. The conclave aims to establish an institutional mechanism for collaboration between the Indian Armed Forces, defense enterprises, startups, MSMEs, and academia, with a focus on indigenisation and technological innovation. By harnessing the collective expertise of stakeholders, the event seeks to chart a course toward a more secure and technologically advanced future for India’s defense sector.