Lt Gen Rajiv Kumar Sahni Urges MILIT Pune Officers to Boost Readiness Amid Tech Shift

Lieutenant General Rajiv Kumar Sahni, Director General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DGEME), addressed officers at the Military Institute of Technology (MILIT), Pune, where he spoke on the need to preserve operational effectiveness as military technology evolves at a rapid pace.

The senior Indian Army officer interacted with participants of the Defence Services Technical Staff Course (DSTSC-09), including International Student Officers (ISOs), the Naval Technical Staff Course (NTSC-44), and the Indian Naval Armament Service Officers Foundation Course (INASOFC-14). His lecture, titled “Sustaining Operational Effectiveness amidst Rapid Technology Transformation,” focused on how armed forces can keep pace with technological change without waiting for long procurement and induction cycles to catch up.

Lt Gen Sahni drew attention to the widening gap between the pace of technological innovation and the time needed to acquire and field advanced military systems. He said this makes it essential for the armed forces to pursue continuous innovation, improve equipment sustenance and adopt adaptive maintenance practices so that existing platforms remain operationally effective.

He also stressed that combat power must be regenerated and maintained continuously, with equipment availability, reliability and operational readiness forming the core of military effectiveness. According to him, these factors are not separate from battlefield performance but are central to ensuring that forces can respond when required.

During the address, the DGEME identified predictive maintenance, supply chain resilience, and agile, adaptive sustenance mechanisms as key enablers for keeping modern military equipment mission-ready. He underlined the need for forward-looking maintenance strategies and stronger logistical support systems to help the armed forces deal with emerging operational challenges.

The interaction gave officers undergoing technical and professional military training an overview of how maintenance, logistics and equipment management are becoming more technology-driven in modern military operations. It also reflected the armed forces’ continuing emphasis on technological adaptability, innovation and sustainable operational capability in a complex security environment.