Include defence studies in varsity curriculum says scientific advisor
Kakinada: The scientific advisor to the Union Minister of Defence G.Satheesh Reddy advised Indian universities to introduce research-oriented defence studies at the post-graduate level for realisation of tangible results.
Satheesh Reddy was conferred with ‘Honorary Ca-usa’ by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTU-K) for its fifth convocation on Saturday, under the chairmanship of JNTU-K VC V.S.S. Kumar.
On this occasion, Satheesh Reddy said that the Defence Technology landscape is undergoing a grand shift with the projected development of advanced systems aided by superior technology and so-me innovative defence systems in various stages of development include robot mules, mesh worms, fly bots and super drones.
Unmanned systems that include unmanned mini submersible fleets are closer to realisation with implications for surveillance and combat capabilities and advance resea-rch is in progress on new materials, electrooptical systems, man-machine in-terface, directed energy weapons and kinetic we-apons, he said and added that the cyber-warfare is another threat area which the nation need to focus its efforts. He said that in the present technical era, it is essential to introduce defence studies in the university curriculum.
He said that breathtaking breakthrough are round the corner in technologies involving robotics and artificial intelligence, stem cell research, renewable energy generation and storage, augme-nted reality, space travel, space tourism and space mining, nanotechnology and others.
Many agencies are looking at a ‘Vision 2040 programme’ where they perc-eive a colonisation of Mars. There is bound to be a gigantic percolation of intellectual wealth in terms of products and services.
“Technology will beco-me more invasive and disruptive and it is very likely that machines will be-come smarter their crea-tors,” said, Satheesh Red-dy. He also said that collaborative research shou-ld be done at the present digital age and a ‘Flat World’ collaboration is the key to innovation and creativity. He hopes that minimum 30 to 40 Indian universities should sec-ure below 100 ranks.
He said that India is still has been largest importers of arms where it should be no longer only buyers but gain enough expertise in vital areas to become 'the largest exporters.
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