The Indian Army’s counter-terror and counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir, Northeast, and other affected areas of the country are poised for a pivotal tactical leap with two game-changing homemade solutions devised by its own Army Design Bureau (ADB).
The technology of two revolutionary innovations—Xploder and Agniastra—developed by the ADB’s Major Rajprasad, is being transferred to an unnamed private firm for mass production. The Transfer of Technology (ToT) is being facilitated by the Foundation of Innovation & Technology Transfer, IIT Delhi.
On Friday, the ToT of the innovations was undertaken by production agencies in the presence of the Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen N.S. Rajasubramani.
The process acquires significance in view of the fact that 2024 has been declared as the 'Year of Tech Absorption' and can be looked upon as another small but vital step in pursuance of ‘Atmanirbharta’ or self-reliance in defence production.
A versatile system designed for a range of combat and operational roles, the ‘Xploder’ is an advanced all-terrain Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) that can conduct unmanned reconnaissance, deliver explosive payloads, and remotely dispose Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Equipped with a self-destruct mode for effective hideout clearance, it can also be deployed in disaster relief operations.
The ‘Agniastra’ is a multi-target portable detonation system that can target multiple locations from extended ranges. It can be manually placed or delivered using UAVs/UGVs.
These two systems are expected to transform both conventional and counter-terrorism operations, enabling precise room intervention, bunker demolitions, and large-scale infrastructure destruction.
In June 2024, another ADB innovation ‘Vidyut Rakshak’, also developed by Major Rajprasad was inducted into the Indian Army. ‘Vidyut Rakshak’ is a IoT-enabled power generator monitoring, protection, and control system. ADB’s WEDC (Wireless Electronic Detonation System) is already in-service with the Corps of Engineers.
The Indian Army is actively pursuing a plan to position itself as a future-ready force, capable of addressing both traditional and emerging security challenges.
