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Source-This post on Modern Warfare-Importance of absorption of technology has been created based on the article “Marching ahead with technology absorption” published in “The Hindu” on 8 April 2024.
UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-3– Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.
Context-In the backdrop of evolving character of warfare, the Indian Army is poised to embrace technology to keep itself ahead of its adversaries. Thus, it is observing the year 2024 as the ‘Year of Technology Absorption’.
What does technology absorption mean?
Absorption implies the acquisition, adaptation and integration of technologies into existing structures. The existing structures are called legacy systems.
The absorption of technology will be mainly in terms of disruptive technology. This comprises of artificial intelligence, autonomous weapon systems such as drones, sensors, robotics, space technology, and hypersonic weapon systems.
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Why is sole focus on disruptive technology not advisable?
1) The Russia- Ukraine and Armenia-Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh) have demonstrated the fact that technological advances alone will not ensure victory in the war. After initial setbacks, Russian army has employed traditional methodologies to fight the war and made significant advances. Thus, discarding the prevailing systems to be substituted by the disruptive technology will not be advisable.
2) In wars, technical countermeasures can rapidly reduce the effectiveness of new technology-based weapons used by an enemy.
What should be the way forward?
1) Balance between modern and traditional systems-It is important to consolidate traditional defense lines and create a stronger military industrial base. The Indian military is doing the right thing by focusing on disruptive technologies and indigenous upgrades in defense manufacture in tandem.
2) Adapting to new conditions- The most important adaptations are not technological but rather operational and tactical.Thus,there is a need to bring changes in the way armies use the tools at their disposal. For ex-in present battle conditions, weapon platforms such as tanks must adapt to become more survivable because they can be easily tracked by sensors in the battlefield.
3) Democratization in usage of technology-It is important to understand new technologies, their possibilities, and where they can be employed. Thus, this understanding should be seen at all levels of military units, not only in higher echelons.
4) Attention to macro level aspect- There should be enhanced attention to macro level aspects like-how organizations work, managing people better, training specialists at all levels etc.
The strategic competition and engagements in the future will inevitably be decided by the nation’s edge in absorbing the use of disruptive technologies.
Question for practice
How can excessive focus on disruptive technology for modern warfare be counterproductive? What steps can be taken to strike a balance between modern and traditional warfare systems?
