Indian Army Concludes NETAC-02 at MCEME, Trains 52 Junior Leaders in Emerging Warfare Tech

The Indian Army has wrapped up the second edition of its Niche & Emerging Technology Application Course (NETAC-02) at the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) in Secunderabad, where 52 junior personnel were trained to work with technologies that are increasingly shaping modern warfare. The four-week course ended with a closing address at the Faculty of Emerging Military Technologies (FEMT), MCEME, on August 24, 2026.

The programme brought together 12 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and 40 Other Ranks for specialised instruction aimed at improving operational effectiveness through practical familiarity with emerging military technologies. The focus was not limited to theoretical exposure. Instead, the course was structured to give junior leaders the tools to understand, apply and supervise technology at unit and sub-unit level, where many battlefield decisions are ultimately translated into action.

NETAC-02 was built around a set of technologies that are rapidly changing the character of military operations. These included drones, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare applications and advanced manufacturing. The course reflected a deliberate effort by the Army to ensure that technological learning is not confined to officers or specialist establishments, but reaches the ranks most closely involved in operating equipment in the field.

Drone warfare, jamming and unmanned systems

A substantial part of the training was devoted to drones and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Participants were introduced to drone operations, payload integration, flight control systems and related technologies, helping them understand how unmanned platforms can be configured for different operational tasks.

The course also covered jamming techniques, which have become a critical part of contemporary drone warfare. As unmanned aerial systems are increasingly used for surveillance, reconnaissance, targeting and other battlefield roles, soldiers need to understand both how such systems function and how they can be disrupted or neutralised.

Participants were also introduced to Unmanned Aircraft System technologies, autonomous systems and robotics. These domains are becoming more relevant to militaries seeking to reduce risks to personnel while extending surveillance, logistics support, situational awareness and operational reach through remotely operated and autonomous platforms.

Artificial Intelligence formed another key component of the course. Exposure to AI-related technologies was intended to help soldiers and junior leaders understand and use technology-enabled systems, rather than treat emerging capabilities as the exclusive domain of specialists.

Another notable strand of NETAC-02 was its attention to Additive Manufacturing and 3-D printing. Trainees were exposed to applications including the 3-D printing of UAV and weapon components. Such capabilities can potentially help military formations produce or replace selected parts closer to where they are required, reducing dependence on traditional supply chains for specific components.

Electronic warfare-related training also featured in the course, reflecting the growing importance of spectrum operations and counter-drone methods in current military environments. The inclusion of these topics placed the programme firmly within the operational realities of technology-heavy battlefields.

Industry exposure and indigenous innovation

NETAC-02 was not limited to classroom and laboratory instruction. The course used case studies to introduce participants to indigenous innovation, Indian startups and the wider technology ecosystem, with the aim of showing how solutions developed outside traditional military structures can be adapted to operational requirements.

As part of this broader exposure, the participants visited Tata Aerospace, Adani Aerospace and Zen Technologies in Hyderabad. These visits gave them first-hand insight into advanced aerospace manufacturing, defence technologies, combat-training simulators and counter-drone systems.

The industry visits were intended to strengthen links between military training, research and development, and India’s defence manufacturing base. They also highlighted the role of indigenisation in converting emerging technologies into systems that can be deployed effectively by military formations.

MCEME has already been building this approach into its wider training framework. Earlier in 2026, the institution organised a seminar on robotics, autonomous drone systems and additive manufacturing that brought together the Armed Forces, industry, academia and policymakers. That event focused on the convergence of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing in future military operations.

MCEME’s larger transformation

The course also sits within a larger institutional shift at MCEME, which has been steadily expanding its focus on emerging technologies. In recent years, the college has modernised its laboratories, introduced technology-enabled classrooms and revised curricula to include drones, robotics, additive manufacturing and unmanned aerial systems.

Hands-on experimentation has been an important part of that effort. Trainees have previously worked on indigenous projects such as the robotic assistant “Paricharak”, while other training initiatives have promoted practical skills in designing, flying, maintaining and understanding drones for emerging battlefield requirements. MCEME has also widened collaboration with industry and academia in areas such as radars, missiles, armoured systems, space applications and drone warfare.

Against that backdrop, NETAC-02 was designed not simply to train 52 personnel in a single course, but to create a multiplier effect across Army units. The programme followed a “Train the Trainer” philosophy, with the expectation that the JCOs and Other Ranks who completed it will pass on the knowledge and practical skills gained to others in their respective formations.

That approach is particularly relevant because junior leaders occupy a crucial position between commanders, technical specialists and troops on the ground. Their ability to understand new technologies and explain their use can help speed up the introduction of emerging capabilities at the operational level.

The conclusion of NETAC-02 reflects the Indian Army’s wider effort to build a force that is not only equipped with advanced systems but also staffed by personnel capable of using them effectively. As military operations become more networked, unmanned and technology-intensive, the Army’s emphasis is increasingly on developing soldiers who can understand, adapt and innovate alongside the platforms they operate.

By training JCOs and Other Ranks in drones, artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems, electronic warfare techniques and additive manufacturing, NETAC-02 has added another layer to the Army’s push towards technologically empowered junior leaders who can take emerging capabilities from specialist training environments into operational units across the country.