The army has entered into an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) to identify and enhance critical areas of technology in the armed forces. A source in IIT-M said on Tuesday that Lt Gen Subrata Saha, deputy chief of army staff (P&S), and IIT-M Director Bhaskar Ramamurthi signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard at the IIT-M campus.

The objective of the collaboration is to help prestigious institutions such as the IITs achieve a better understanding of the critical technological requirements of the army through seamless interaction between the IIT-M faculty and the army officers. The initiative intends to identify areas that require research and development, so that the institute can contribute positively to enhancing the capabilities.

IPR for projects
There are also plans to commercialise the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) achieved through the projects. The MoU also envisaged the army sponsoring four officers for doctoral programs besides a five-day technology development program for 15 officers on a biannual basis. Both parties will also organise lectures to share their knowledge and experience.