Bhubaneswar, Oct 15 (UNI) The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and the Simulator Development Division (SDD) of the Indian Army have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advanced research, training, and innovation in emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI),
and Robotics.
The MoU was signed online by Brigadier G.S. Bedi, Commandant, SDD, Secunderabad, and Professor Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy), IIT Bhubaneswar, on Tuesday.
The partnership aims to combine academic expertise and defence innovation to strengthen simulation-based training, enhance defence capabilities, and develop indigenous technological solutions.
Under the agreement, IIT Bhubaneswar will extend academic and research support through its Virtual and Augmented Reality Centre of Excellence (VARCOE), while SDD will provide practical exposure and collaborative development opportunities in defence simulation and technology prototyping.
The collaboration also includes short-term training and certification programmes, student internships, shared access to research facilities, and joint innovation initiatives such as hackathons and ideation challenges.
Prof. Dinakar said the partnership reinforces IIT Bhubaneswar’s commitment to national defence and technological self-reliance, while Brigadier Bedi noted that the MoU would foster synergy between the Army and academia, promoting indigenous innovation aligned with operational requirements.
The agreement will remain in force for five years, enabling sustained collaboration and knowledge exchange between the two institutions in frontier areas of technology development.

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