At the India Defence Conclave 2025, Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the necessity of shared defense innovation and strategic partnerships to navigate complex global threats. He highlighted India’s two-and-a-half front challenge and the empowerment post-Operation Sindoor, which afford greater flexibility for the armed forces in terms of development and induction. Gen Dwivedi stressed the importance of investing in emerging technologies like AI and unmanned systems, advocating for a collaborative approach among academia, industry, and the military to enhance defense capabilities. The focus on indigenous systems and military-civil fusion aims to transform India’s defense landscape while fostering manufacturing growth and enhancing defense exports, underscoring the need for robust R&D in achieving self-reliance in defense.