IIT Ropar, ARTRAC sign agreement to set up centre of excellence for research in defence, security

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar and the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) of the Indian Army signed an agreement for setting up a centre of excellence (CoE) for studies and applied research in defence and security at the institute.

The CoE aims to use IIT Ropar's technical resources and ARTRAC's operational assets in advanced materials and manufacturing, design and development of deep learning algorithms, multipath and wireless networks, data transmission tools, remote sensing and forecasting, cyber security and among other areas.

The CoE will be named 'centre of excellence for studies and applied research in defence and security.' The centre will be focusing on areas of research and technology including wireless communication, information warfare or security like quadcopters and drones, medium and light weaponry, missile technologies, body armor, force survivability, hypersonic applications and energy directed weapons among other technologies and fields in the larger domain of defence and security.

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The ARTRAC will be sponsoring officers to undergo on-campus and off-campus educational programmes. Collaborative research and innovation will be done in areas of mutual interest in management, and social sciences and visits by faculty and students of IIT Ropar will be undertaken to Army establishments to better understand educational, research and technology needs of the Army and visits by Army officers to IIT Ropar to engage in research and innovation.

A historic MoU signed between @iitrpr and @artrac_ia today for setting up a joint Center of Excellence for studies & Applied Research in Defence & Security at IIT Ropar. Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director,IIT Ropar & Lt. Gen. S.S Mahal,PVSM,VSM,GOC-in-ARTRAC signed the MoU. @artrac_ia pic.twitter.com/UB5zLEvXkq

— IIT Ropar (@iitrpr) December 6, 2022

The agreement was signed by IIT Ropar director, Rajeev Ahuja and ARTRAC, general officer commanding–in-chief SS Mahal. The institute will also hold training programmes as exchange of information on educational programmes for security practitioners of the armed forces, the central armed police forces (CAPF), intelligence agencies and state police forces run by it as part of its on-campus and off-campus programmes on research and innovation.

While signing the agreement, Ahuja said: "IIT, Ropar has the best of infrastructure and young and dynamic faculty, and we are ready to set up this centre in cooperation with the Army and will establish CoE at IIT Ropar campus, which will provide a platform to foster and promote several forms of initiatives including collaborative research, formal education of Army officers, short-term training, and short visits (exchange programmes) by personnel from IIT Ropar and Army.