Meet the Indian Army's elite unit that will work on AI, 6G, other future tech

The setting up of STEAG is part of the Army's efforts to develop technologies considering the future battlefield

The Indian Army has raised an elite unit that will research and evaluate futuristic communication technologies that can be leveraged for military use.

The Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG), which is an elite technology unit, will undertake research and evaluation of futuristic communication technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, 6G, machine learning, and quantum technologies, for defence applications, Indian Army officials said on March 18.

The setting up of STEAG is part of the Army's efforts to develop technologies considering the future battlefield, they said.

“STEAG will be the nursery for nurturing and developing tailored technologies spanning the complete spectrum of wired and wireless systems to include electronic exchanges, mobile communications, Software Defined Radios (SDR), Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, 5G and 6G networks, among others,” the army officials further said.

“It will be a premier organisation, the first of its kind, equipped with the capability to harness niche technology, leverage cutting edge solutions and identify suitable use-cases for defence applications by fostering collaboration and partnership with academia and industry,” they added.

Keeping up with tech

The hi-tech unit will carry out technical scouting, evaluation, development, management of core ICT solutions, and provide user interface support by maintenance and upgradation of contemporary technologies available in the environment, one of the officials said.

Army Chief General Manoj Pande has been highlighting the need for acquiring new technologies by the force in view of the changing nature of warfare.

"Aligning itself with the tenets of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Start-Up India, STEAG will help bridge the divide between the armed forces on the one hand and industry and academia on the other," an army official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The new Centre of Excellence is expected to be a game changer in fostering self-reliance in high-end communication technologies, which have thus far been a monopoly of select countries with advanced economies and research ecosystems, he said.

The Army believes communication is going to be an important component of military operations.

“In the fast-evolving technologies for the battlefield, the side with better communication technologies and the ability to connect the various constituents for information sharing will have an edge over its adversary,” another official said.

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He said modern warfare necessitates the induction of new equipment to provide seamless communication support to units and formations during operations.

“To imbibe such advancements in technology, the Indian Army has raised this groundbreaking technology-oriented unit STEAG, which will bolster its capabilities in the digital domain,” he added.