On August 4, 2025, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi inaugurated the Agnishodh Research Cell at IIT Madras, marking a significant step towards defense self-reliance under the Army’s transformation strategy. This new research center aims to bridge academic innovation with military needs, focusing on advanced domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and unmanned aerial systems. The facility will upskill military personnel while engaging with the IIT Madras Research Park and partnering with industry leaders to translate lab innovations into operational technologies. Highlighting the strategic shift, General Dwivedi emphasized the Army’s preparedness for fifth-generation warfare and noted that the swift, intelligence-driven Operation Sindoor recently demonstrated India’s evolving counter-terrorism capabilities and technological prowess.