Gurugram, May 12: The Amity Academic Staff College and Amity Institute of Defence Technology (AIDT), Amity University Haryana, Gurugram, jointly organized a Technology Day Webinar 2026 on the theme “Higher Education in Defence Technology: Emerging Trends and Employment Opportunities” with a special focus on “Skilling Youth for Emerging Opportunities in Defence Technology.”
Conducted in online mode, the webinar witnessed the enthusiastic participation of around 90 participants, including eminent defence experts, academicians, researchers, faculty members and students from different institutions. The event emerged as a significant academic platform for deliberations on emerging technologies, indigenous innovation, research ecosystems, entrepreneurship and future career opportunities in the rapidly evolving defence and technology sectors.
The webinar highlighted India’s growing emphasis on technological self-reliance, innovation-led growth and nation-building under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047.
The first expert session was delivered by Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Anil Kapoor, AVSM (Retd.), Professor of Practice, IIT Tirupati and former Director General EME. Through inspiring real-life experiences and engaging storytelling, Lt. Gen. Kapoor shared his journey of working in robotics and missile technology during the 1980s. He narrated how innovation, determination and scientific thinking enabled his team to develop India’s first six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm despite limited technological resources during that period.
Sharing his experiences of working under the guidance of former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam during India’s guided missile development programme, Lt. Gen. Kapoor explained how predictive algorithms and missile guidance systems eventually evolved into technologies that today form the foundation of Artificial Intelligence and advanced defence systems.
He emphasized that defence technology today extends far beyond wars and weapons and contributes significantly to healthcare, agriculture, communication systems, smart cities, autonomous mobility and advanced manufacturing. He elaborated upon emerging domains such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cybersecurity, Quantum Technologies, Drone Technologies, Autonomous Systems, Space Technologies, Swarm Intelligence, Digital Twins and Human–Machine Teaming.
Encouraging students to become “technology creators and job creators rather than job seekers,” Lt. Gen. Kapoor motivated youth to actively engage with innovation ecosystems, startups and emerging technologies.
The second expert session was delivered by Sh. L. C. Mangal, DS & Director General (Technology Management), DRDO. In his address, Sh. Mangal highlighted the importance of indigenous technology development and emphasized the need for India to increasingly focus on technologies and products that are designed, developed and controlled within the country.
He discussed how Digital 5.0 and emerging technologies are transforming the defence ecosystem and accelerating technological growth in India. Stressing the importance of product-oriented research and product-based Ph.D. programmes, he encouraged institutions and researchers to move beyond theoretical research towards innovation, prototypes and practical product development.
Sh. Mangal further emphasized the importance of stronger collaboration among DRDO, academia, industries and startups for building a robust innovation ecosystem capable of supporting India’s technological self-reliance and global competitiveness.
The Words of Wisdom were delivered by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) P. B. Sharma, Amity University Haryana, who highlighted the rapidly growing ecosystem for indigenous technology and product development in India. Referring to the large-scale funding support being extended by the Government of India for innovation and product development, Prof. Sharma suggested that undergraduate and postgraduate students should also be supported through fellowships for innovative and mission-oriented projects.
Drawing from his experiences at IIT Delhi, Prof. Sharma shared how one of his earliest DRDO-supported projects introduced him to innovation-led research and mission-oriented technology development. He emphasized the need to “catch students young” by nurturing research orientation, innovation and indigenous technological thinking from the early stages of education.
Prof. Sharma further shared that Amity University works on the philosophy of Panchdhara-promoting collaborative strategies, innovative thinking, integrity-driven technology and product development, an entrepreneurial spirit for IPR generation and its translation and nation-building through world-class research, innovation and knowledge creation. Prof. Sharma emphasized that higher education institutions must not only focus on academic excellence but also create innovation ecosystems that encourage students and researchers to develop impactful technologies and solutions for society and the nation.
Prof. Sharma also encouraged greater interaction between defence experts, academia and students to inspire young minds towards technology development, innovation and nation-building.
Dr. Sanjna Vij, Director, Amity Academic Staff College, Amity University Haryana, during her welcome address, shared that the National Technology Day celebrations at the university had begun on 11th May 2026 with a curtain raiser session addressed by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) P. B. Sharma on the theme “Technology, Innovation and National Development.”
Dr. Vij emphasized that defence technology is emerging as one of the most transformative sectors of the future and is opening unprecedented opportunities beyond conventional military applications. Highlighting the growing relevance of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Aerospace, Cybersecurity and Advanced Manufacturing, she stressed that higher education institutions must prepare students with interdisciplinary skills, innovation-oriented thinking and adaptability required in the changing technological landscape.
She also highlighted the initiatives being undertaken by Amity University Haryana through AIDT and informed participants about the specialized B.Tech and M.Tech programmes in Defence Technology being offered in collaboration with DRDO, focusing on areas such as combat vehicles, aerospace systems and weapon technologies.
The webinar also featured an engaging Question & Answer Session.
The Concluding Remarks and Vote of Thanks were delivered by Maj. Gen. (Dr.) J. S. Dhull, VSM (Retd.), Director, Amity Institute of Defence Technology, Amity University Haryana.
Maj. Gen. Dhull highlighted the growing dual-use applications of defence technologies and cited examples such as drones being utilized in agriculture, surveying and civilian sectors alongside defence applications. He also informed participants about various career pathways available through NDA, TES, CDS, NCC Entry and technical streams.
Highlighting India’s rapidly expanding defence startup ecosystem and indigenous innovation initiatives, he referred to examples such as Skyroot and BrahMos to explain India’s growing strength in defence innovation and space technologies.
Maj. Gen. Dhull also shared details about the Defence Technology programmes being offered at Amity University Haryana, including Integrated B.Tech–M.Tech and M.Tech programmes with specializations in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Communication Systems & Sensors, Combat Systems Engineering and Aerospace Technology. He informed participants that these programmes include one year of live internships in DRDO laboratories and defence industries, thereby providing students with valuable industry exposure and practical learning opportunities.
The webinar concluded on a highly enriching and inspiring note with active participation from students, researchers, academicians and professionals. The deliberations collectively highlighted the importance of indigenous innovation, industry-academia collaboration, entrepreneurship and research-driven education in shaping India’s technological future and empowering youth for emerging opportunities in defence technology.
