MTS 2.0 to focus on upgrading existing military platforms for future combat; first edition last year saw participation of over 200 industry representatives

The Western Command will organise the second edition of the Mechanisation Technology Seminar (MTS 2.0) at Chandimandir Military Station on December 14 and 15, bringing together the Army, industry and academia to showcase innovations, bridge operational gaps and accelerate indigenous capability development for mechanised forces.

Being held in collaboration with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), this year’s theme is ‘CHAKRA – Transforming Existing Platforms for Future Combat’, a defence spokesperson said in Chandigarh on Monday.

A curtain-raiser for the event was held at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on Monday, presided over by Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command.

An initiative of the Western Command, MTS 2.0 aims to enhance the combat effectiveness of mechanised forces by transforming existing military platforms into technologically advanced, capable and future-ready combat systems.

The seminar will focus on combat capability enhancement, harnessing technology, adaptability, kinetics, refurbishment and self-reliance, with an emphasis on translating operational capability gaps and requirements into clearly defined problem definition statements (PDS).

The curtain-raiser outlined the broad vision and key areas of focus for the seminar, highlighting the importance of technology-driven modernisation, civil-military collaboration and self-reliance in strengthening indigenous defence capabilities.

It also provided a platform for interaction among military users, industry representatives, academia and other stakeholders to deliberate on the modernisation of existing platforms, indigenous technological innovation and emerging operational requirements.

MTS 2.0 reflects the Indian Army’s continued commitment to capability enhancement, technological transformation and self-reliance in defence.

By providing a focused platform to translate operational requirements into practical and implementable technological solutions, the seminar seeks to strengthen collaboration among the Armed Forces, the defence industry and academia, while enhancing the operational effectiveness, resilience and combat readiness of mechanised forces in the evolving battlefield environment, the spokesperson said.

At the first edition of the MTS last year, over 200 representatives from the defence industry participated, and 51 cutting-edge defence products were demonstrated.

These included innovative solutions for combat vehicles, sensor-based warfare, digitalised command and control systems, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced armour protection, next-generation communication networks and enhanced firepower solutions aimed at keeping the Indian Army’s mechanised platforms future-ready.