By Lieutenant General V. K. Saxena

It was way back in 2021 when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) came out with a forward-looking policy that clearly laid out the way ahead as regards the induction of simulators in the armed forces.

This brief work brings out two small points: one, that a much higher impetus is required if the MoD’s vision is to be realised, and two, that there is a national cause in implementing the MoD’s call.

The Policy under reference is titled ‘Framework of Simulators in Armed Forces’, promulgated by the MoD on September 23, 2021. This policy is anchored on the vision of implementing Simulator-Based Training (SBT) across all military domains to achieve cost-effective, efficient, safe, fast-paced, and smart training.

The policy lays out the framework to achieve the above vision by specifying clear action points for various stakeholders. It aims to reduce live equipment utilisation and replace it with enhanced utilisation of simulators.

Have we achieved this aim? Unfortunately, only partially. There is huge ground yet to be covered.

By some estimates assumed in the research work undertaken by TERI (The Energy and Resource Institute), the present penetration of simulators in the armed forces is less than 15%. What it means is that less than 15% of conventional field-mode training is currently being done on simulators.

When we say field-mode training, what is implied is the conventional training of the field force that involves the plying of tanks, other mechanised elements, artillery, and air defence guns, missiles, radars, vehicles, and troops in the field and firing huge quantities of live ammunition.

These activities are not only time- and cost-prohibitive, but also end up polluting the environment to no end.

While it is impossible to completely do away with field-mode training, a large portion of the same can be shifted onto simulators. Why so?

Simply because hi-tech simulators can provide realistic and effective training at a minuscule cost and time, besides the added benefits of training under realistic battlefield conditions with a worthwhile enemy.

AI-driven training solutions spanning all three domains of live, virtual, and force-on-force training involving near look-alike replicas and digital twins of combat equipment can create such an immersive impact that trainees forget whether they are handling ‘go-to-war combat equipment’ or simulators.

As to environmental pollution, the figures of savings, calculated in terms of tonnes of CO2 (Greenhouse Gases or GHGs) saved in carrying out SBT instead of conventional training, are indeed astounding.

As per the research work of TERI mentioned above, a four-wheeler Vehicle Simulator will save 103 Tons of CO2 over 15 year period yielding a saving of INR 56,00,000 (INR 5.6 million), a Driving Training Simulator at a Regimental level will save 1,919 Tons of CO2 over 30 years amounting to INR 136 crore (INR 1.36 billion) and a Field Crew Gunnery Training Simulator at a Regimental level will save 3,676 Tons of CO2 over 30 years amounting to INR 381 crore (INR 3.81 billion).

If these are the type of benefits accruing, why is the simulator penetration in the training domain of our forces a mere 15% or less? This calls for action.

In fact, every single day of non-induction of simulators in our forces costs crores both in training and environmental costs.

Maybe there is a need to take stock. Integrated Defence Staff HQ (HQIDS), which has been designated as the nodal agency in the Framework Policy, could check out the level of simulator-penetration in each of the Service HQs, where Directorates that are lagging could be asked to identify their areas of simulator utilisation and initiate cases for procurement for the same on an urgent basis.

The ideal percentage of simulator adoption is considered to be 40% to 50% of conventional field training. The same needs to be even higher than this when it comes to flight training, where the world standard is 70% to 75%.

Also, the Framework lays down that whenever new equipment is to be procured, the simulator requirement must be embedded therein. The Acquisition Directorate could ensure this.

The good news in all the above is that the Indian industry is fully capable of meeting the entire simulator demand of the forces. The reference is not only to the public sector but also to the private sector.

Talking of the private sector, the name of Zen Technologies Limited, a Hyderabad-based company and a market leader in simulators, drones, and anti-drone solutions, figures prominently.

The clear need of the hour is to gear up implementation of the Framework Policy at the cutting edge to reap benefits in not only addressing multiple training challenges but also for saving the environment a great deal.

(The writer is a retired Indian Army officer. He was the Director General of Army Air Defence. He frequently contributes scholarly articles on news platforms and to think tanks.)

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