Why in news?
The Ministry of Defence released the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap 2025 to outline the long‑term military technologies that India plans to acquire or develop. It aims to guide industry and research institutions about future needs of the armed forces.
Purpose and scope
The TPCR is not a procurement list but a vision document covering the next fifteen years. It highlights critical capabilities across the Army, Navy, Air Force and tri‑service domains. By sharing expectations, policymakers hope to encourage Indian industry and academia to invest in research and development and reduce dependence on imports.
Key focus areas
- Navy: Nuclear propulsion for submarines, a next‑generation aircraft carrier with electromagnetic launch systems, stealth destroyers, corvettes and autonomous underwater vehicles.
- Army: Future ready combat vehicles, light tanks, anti‑tank guided missiles, drones and robotics for reconnaissance and logistics.
- Air Force: Directed‑energy weapons, stealth unmanned aerial vehicles, high‑altitude pseudo satellites and improvements in radars and electronic warfare.
- Tri‑service: Hypersonic missiles, universal missile launchers, artificial intelligence‑enabled command systems, quantum communication and secure software defined radios.
- Cross‑cutting technologies: Digital twins, machine learning, autonomous systems, advanced materials and green logistics.
Significance
- The roadmap provides clarity to domestic manufacturers, encouraging them to align research with future requirements.
- It underscores the need for jointness among the services and integration of cyber, space and electromagnetic domains into conventional warfare planning.
- By signalling intent to indigenous industry, the TPCR aims to strengthen self‑reliance and reduce the arms import bill.