IIT Madras-backed hub, Medhastra join hands to develop indigenous defence technology

New Delhi: IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation and Hyderabad-based Medhastra Techsystems Private Limited are collaborating to develop indigenous defence technologies, aligning with the Indian government's push to reduce reliance on foreign systems.

The partnership will focus on sovereign artificial intelligence, cognitive electronic warfare, multi-sensor data fusion, undersea sensing and autonomous platforms, according to the organisations.

IITM Pravartak, a technology innovation hub hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, works on sensors, networking, actuators and control systems under the Department of Science and Technology's National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems.


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Medhastra develops AI-powered defence systems for India's armed forces, with a focus on integrating data from multiple sensors to support operational awareness and autonomous capabilities.

The collaboration brings together IIT Madras' research and innovation ecosystem and Medhastra's defence technology expertise, with the aim of advancing locally developed capabilities in line with India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

"With this MoU, Medhastra becomes part of the IIT Madras innovation ecosystem, one of India's leading environments for research, deep-tech start-ups and technology translation," the firms said in a statement.

The association will give Medhastra closer access to the Institute's research expertise and innovation network for joint research, faculty collaboration, lab access and student engagement, strengthening its work on sovereign defence AI.

MJ Shankar Raman, CEO, IITM Pravartak, said: "IITM Pravartak is committed to nurturing indigenous technologies that strengthen India's strategic self-reliance. Defence AI is an area where India must build its own capability, and we are pleased to welcome Medhastra into the IIT Madras ecosystem".

"By combining the Institute's research strengths with Medhastra's focus on defence applications, we aim to accelerate the journey from laboratory to deployment and support the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat."

Abinav Varma Kalidindi, founder and CEO, Medhastra Techsystems, said: "Becoming part of the IIT Madras ecosystem is a proud moment for Medhastra. IIT Madras and IITM Pravartak have set the benchmark for turning Indian research into real-world impact".

The MoU reflects a growing push to bring academia and Indian industry together to deliver indigenous defence technologies, in line with the government's vision for Aatmanirbharta in defence, the statement said.

Established in 1959, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras is an Institution of Eminence and a leading Indian institution for engineering, research and innovation. Its ecosystem includes the IIT Madras Research Park and Incubation Cell.

Medhastra Techsystems Private Limited is a Hyderabad-based defence technology company developing AI-powered systems for India's armed forces.