IIT Guwahati Strengthens Ties with Indian Army in Back-to-Back High-Level Visits

IIT Guwahati hosted two senior Indian Army commanders on consecutive days in late March 2026, signalling a deepening commitment to translating academic research into national security solutions

Published 28 March 2026 | Category Research & Partnerships | Office Manekshaw Centre of Excellence for National Security Studies and Research

In a significant development for the institute's growing engagement with the defence establishment, IIT Guwahati hosted two senior Indian Army commanders on consecutive days in late March 2026, signalling a deepening commitment to translating academic research into national security solutions.

Spear Corps Commander Explores Research Partnerships

On March 26, 2026, Lt. General Abhijit Pendharkar, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, General Officer Commanding, Spear Corps, visited the IIT Guwahati campus for a series of high-level engagements.

Following a meeting with Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT Guwahati, Lt. Gen. Pendharkar and his team attended a presentation by Prof. Ratnajit Bhattacharjee, Head of the Manekshaw Centre of Excellence for National Security Studies and Research. Faculty members affiliated with the Centre and with TIH Guwahati then presented their ongoing research and its potential applicability to the defence forces.

Prof. Jalihal set the tone for the discussions, emphasising the need for a proactive approach to national challenges. "We should anticipate future problems and find Indian solutions," he said, underscoring the importance of deeper collaboration between the academic research ecosystem and the defence establishment.

Lt. Gen. Pendharkar concurred, noting that the armed forces have consistently remained at the cutting edge of technology.

Gajraj Corps Commander Charts Course for Collaboration

The following day, March 27, 2026, Lt. General Neeraj Shukla, AVSM, SM**, General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, visited IIT Guwahati shortly after assuming command — a gesture that underlines the importance the Corps places on its relationship with the institute. In a high-level meeting with Prof. Jalihal, the two leaders explored a broad range of domains for potential partnership.

A notable highlight of the discussion was a proposal by Prof. S.K. Nandi, Dean of Administration, to constitute a specialised team dedicated to the real-time analysis of social media narratives — an area of growing strategic relevance for the armed forces.

A Shared Vision

The two visits reflect a shared and evolving vision of IIT Guwahati's research capabilities supporting the strategic requirements of the Armed Forces.