The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has embarked on a visionary mission to strengthen India’s national defence and security architecture by establishing the Manekshaw Centres for Defence and Security Research across the country. These centres are designed to serve as strategic convergence points between the Indian Armed Forces, security agencies, and premier academic and research institutions.
Launched under the overarching aim of enhancing national security and self-reliance, this initiative includes partnerships with top Indian institutes such as IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Dharwad, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT BHU-Varanasi, and IIT ISM-Dhanbad. Additionally, two other research heavyweights – the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi – are also integral to the framework. Collectively, these institutions form the core of the country’s new defence-academia ecosystem.
The anchor of this initiative is the Manekshaw Centre of Excellence for National Security Studies and Research (MCoENSSR) at IIT Guwahati. It aims to drive a unified national vision based on “strategic foresight, operational excellence, and technological expertise.” In doing so, the centre hopes to harness the research prowess of India’s finest academic minds to develop solutions tailored to Indian defence needs.
A key tenet of the Manekshaw Centres is to foster ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in defence technology. The centres will focus on creating homegrown technological innovations capable of supporting India’s military capabilities in future warfare. Through collaboration with startups, domestic industries, and global research institutions, these centres will help deliver practical, scalable, and indigenous solutions to meet the complex demands of the armed forces.
In addition to research and innovation, the Manekshaw Centres will serve as vibrant intellectual spaces. IIT Guwahati has announced plans to host dialogue series, ideathons, seminars, and workshops addressing emerging security challenges. The centres will also organise national conferences on topics such as asymmetric hybrid warfare and non-contact warfare to keep pace with evolving threats.
In a recent high-level meeting, a delegation consisting of Devendra Jalihal (Director, IIT Guwahati), Manindra Agrawal (Director, IIT Kanpur), and Subrata Saha (Executive Chairman and COO, Manekshaw Centre of Excellence) presented the project blueprint to the Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan. The delegation emphasized the importance of academic-defence collaboration in meeting national security goals.
According to Jalihal, “The Manekshaw Centre will act as a critical interface between India’s academia and its defence forces. It will facilitate continuous dialogue with defence agencies and proactively engage in designing systems aligned with national security objectives.”
With this robust network of research centres, IIT Guwahati is poised to play a central role in reimagining India’s defence capabilities. The Manekshaw initiative reflects a powerful commitment to marrying academic excellence with military preparedness, ensuring that India remains secure, technologically advanced, and strategically agile in a rapidly changing global environment.
