The armed forces and technology have been strategic partners in developing and enhancing the defence capability of the nation, said President Pranab Mukherjee while addressing graduating students of the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) in Secunderabad on 19 December.
The history of warfare bears testimony to the decisive role of technology on the outcome of military conflicts, said the President.
He also said as young technocrats, it would be the graduates' responsibility, to adopt the latest developments in the field of technology for use by the defence forces by accelerating the pace of military innovation. The nation will look upon them to define and modify the way defence forces operate by using technological advances to provide a comparative edge over our adversaries.
Reminding the students that the Indian Army has had to do as much with non-military innovations as military, he added: "Military technology has benefited civil society immensely, and its spin-offs have contributed significantly to nation building."
According to an official statement, Mukherjee also said: "To maintain an edge in military capability over potential opponents, constant efforts are required to upgrade technology. The armed forces and technology have been strategic partners in developing and enhancing the defence capability of the nation.
"You live in an era where the pace of technology transition is so fast, that even as I speak, new concepts are being introduced, established paradigms are being re-defined and research is opening new vistas.
"Your challenge would be to harness the latest defence technologies and ensure that the Indian Army benefits from these," he added.
The President also commended the graduating class for undertaking projects involving state-of-the-art technologies, ranging from biometrics to solar power.
On Army Day in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave awards for excellence to eight projects of Indian Army, of which four were from the MCEME.
