By A Correspondent

Hyderabad (Telangana) In a major push to modernise military training, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded city-based military training technology firm Zen Technologies Limited an INR 120-crore contract to establish India’s first Combat Training Node (CTN) at the Infantry School in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.

The project marks a significant leap in simulation-driven training for the Indian Army, aligning with the government’s push for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India) in defence technology.

Zen Technologies, an indigenous IDDM-compliant defence firm, will deploy more than 60 state-of-the-art simulators, including systems for weapons training, drone warfare drills, and target solutions for live-firing ranges.

The CTN flows from the MoD’s Simulation Framework introduced in September 2021, which identified simulation-based warfare training as essential for cutting costs and strengthening operational readiness.

The Combat Training Node aims to solve a critical challenge: infantry battles are dynamic, contested, and adversarial, yet traditional force-on-force training cannot use real ammunition between opposing sides.

The CTN addresses this by combining Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) simulation with live-range solutions, allowing soldiers to train safely and realistically.

Once operational, infantry troops will be able to practice urban combat, counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations, marksmanship, counter-drone tactics, and mission-level command in a highly realistic environment.

Integrated After-Action Review (AAR) tools and analytics will help sharpen battlefield decision-making while significantly reducing overall training costs.

Zen Technologies chairman and managing director Ashok Atluri said the project demonstrates how indigenous Research and Development (R&D) can deliver world-class capabilities when backed by progressive policy.

He credited former Indian defence minister, late Manohar Parrikar, for recognising that defence companies with strong R&D and proven systems are strategic national assets.

Atluri added that the CTN reflects India’s shift from importing training systems to developing export-ready, combat-tested indigenous solutions unrestricted by foreign controls like International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

The new Combat Training Node is expected to accelerate readiness, enable rapid technology upgrades, and strengthen India’s long-term defence self-reliance.

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