Defence IT panel backs indigenous chips, sovereign operating system for armed forces
New Delhi, June 23. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on June 23 chaired the 15th meeting of the Defence Information Technology Consultative Committee (DITCC) in New Delhi, with discussions focusing on accelerating self-reliance in critical technologies and adopting advanced digital capabilities to meet the evolving requirements of modern warfare.
The meeting, organised by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), underscored the importance of achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in the information technology domain and stressed the time-bound induction of cutting-edge technological enablers into the armed forces.
Subject matter experts deliberated on a range of policy issues concerning the use of disruptive technologies by the defence services amid changing warfare paradigms. Key areas of discussion included the indigenisation of advanced semiconductor manufacturing, the development of a sovereign operating system and database architecture, and the strategic placement of data centres to cater to defence requirements.
The committee also cleared several projects that are expected to deliver long-term benefits not only to the armed forces but also to the country’s broader technological ecosystem, in line with the government’s vision of building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).
The meeting brought together representatives from the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Experts from academia and industry also participated in the deliberations.
The discussions reflected the government’s growing emphasis on strengthening technological sovereignty and reducing dependence on foreign digital infrastructure and critical technologies, amid increasing recognition of the role of cyber capabilities, semiconductors and data infrastructure in future conflicts.
