New Delhi: The Eastern Command of the Indian Army is organising the event “East Tech 2023” on October 10 – 11 at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Guwahati.

Being the first of its kind event in the North Eastern region, the event aims to provide a platform for startups and established players in the defence industry from Assam and other North Eastern states to display their innovations.

Jointly organised by the Indian Army and the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of Assam, the main goal of East Tech 2023 is to assist the Eastern Command in addressing its operational challenges by integrating modern indigenous technology. East Tech 2023 aims to identify suitable technologies and solutions tailored to meet the operational needs of the Field Army, establishing an efficient ecosystem for procurement and maintenance of selected defence products.

Bringing together Indian manufacturers, including MSMEs, DRDO, DPSUs, research organisations, and academia, the event East Tech 2023 will showcase their latest advancements in weapon and equipment technology and provide a platform for startups and established players in the defence industry from Assam and other North Eastern states to display their innovations.

East Tech’s primary objective is to enhance the technological knowledge of participants and familiarise them with cutting-edge technologies and commercial off-the-shelf solutions available in the defence sector. The event seeks to raise awareness about contemporary technologies and hardware solutions offered by Indian defence manufacturers to address the evolving operational dynamics in the Eastern Command using indigenous, innovative, and future-proof technologies, thus promoting self-reliance in defence.

The event will boost defence manufacturing in the North East and facilitate their integration into supply chains. It will include seminars on niche technologies with IIT Guwahati and a medical symposium with AIIMS, Guwahati.

The Indian Armed Forces have identified specific technologies necessary to enhance their existing and future capabilities. Thus, the event focuses on providing tools to enhance the capabilities of armed forces, including battlefield transparency, command and control architecture, communication systems, information dominance, electronic warfare, nano technology/MEMS, artificial intelligence and robotics, unmanned warfare systems, mobility, chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear (CBRN) defence, advanced weapon systems, survival systems, and non-lethal weapons.

This event will also facilitate interactions between defence manufacturers and the Field Army to align their products with specific operational requirements and drive further research and development.

Headquartered in Kolkata, the Eastern Command is the oldest and largest command of the Indian Army, covering around 10 states. Its troops work in coordination with all elements of the Indian Armed Forces and the paramilitary forces to counter potential threats from neighbouring countries.