IIT Hyderabad and Indian Army Collaborate to Launch 'VIGRAHA' for Defence Innovation
In a significant advancement for indigenous defense research, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad has collaborated with the Indian Army's Simulator Development Division (SDD) to establish a Centre of Excellence named VIGRAHA. This initiative stands for Virtual, Intelligent, Ground-breaking Research in AR/VR & High-tech Applications for the Indian Army.
The new center, inaugurated through an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Army Training Command based in Shimla, is set to spearhead innovation in areas such as augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, unmanned systems, and defense-grade drones. According to officials, the initiative aims to co-develop customized solutions to meet the Army's evolving needs in simulation and battlefield scenarios.
The Army's SDD was represented by Brigadier A.K. Chaturvedi, Colonel Hari Om Ahlawat, and Lieutenant Colonel Anupam Porwal. Joining from IIT Hyderabad were Director Professor B.S. Murty, Professor G. Narahari Sastry, who is the Dean of Sponsored Research & Consultancy, and Dr. Shiva Ji, an Associate Professor and the Principal Investigator.
Professor Murty emphasized that the collaboration symbolizes the synergy between defense and academia, supporting India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in advancing military technologies. The MoU facilitates the commencement of joint research projects, academic programs, internships, and incubator-level innovation activities.
Established in 1991 as the primary agency for simulator design, the Army's SDD is now broadening its scope to include AI, AR/VR, and robotics. Officials noted that VIGRAHA aims to boost operational readiness by providing state-of-the-art training and battlefield simulation tools, all developed domestically.
