Era of conventional warfare over, need innovations in cybersecurity, AI: Manoj Sinha

Jammu, Jul 28: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Monday addressed the inaugural ceremony ‘Navarambh’ to welcome incoming BTech, MTech, PhD and MSc students at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Jammu.
In his address, the Lieutenant Governor congratulated and extended his best wishes to all the students embarking on their new journey.
He lauded the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for their exemplary contributions to nation-building and for developing remarkable scientific and technological capabilities over the decades, positively impacting lives worldwide.
“Science and Technology are going to be the key drivers for Viksit Bharat and the country expects IITians to make it happen.
Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, continuous efforts are underway to provide facilities and resources to tech-entrepreneurs. Today’s India offers better opportunities to IIT graduates than abroad, and I am confident that with your talent and hard work, India will become a hub of innovation in the future,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor called upon the students to develop new solutions for global challenges, prepare for an unpredictable future, and stay at the forefront of technological advancement.
He also entrusted the faculty members of IIT Jammu with the responsibility of expanding research programs of national importance and improving the standard of engineering education to solve real problems faced by industry and the nation.
“Operation Sindoor sent a clear message that India’s defense system is second to none. It was a great victory for armed forces and our engineers and this operation has proved that the era of conventional warfare is over, and we must prepare for future warfare.
We must set new paradigms in the defense sector and encourage innovations in cybersecurity, AI-driven warfare, and modern communication systems,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised on increasing the participation and share of IIT graduates in Tech Startups, Artificial Intelligence, Automobile and Space sectors.
Energy and environment along with artificial intelligence are other important sectors that will require leadership from the brainpower of IIT engineering graduates in the near future, he further added.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor launched four new programs for BTech and MTech students. He also congratulated Prof. Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu and all the faculty members for the new courses starting from this academic session and for making necessary changes in the syllabus to promote the idea of innovation and startups.
“The Predictive Analytics program will forecast future outcomes through data analysis. Its algorithms are poised to revolutionize healthcare, risk management, operations, and marketing. This will not only empower industries with better decision-making, but it can also be applied to governance and public services.
The inter-disciplinary approach of the Engineering Physics program will bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical engineering, thereby aiding in the development of new technologies. This program is expected to foster new innovations in product development and pharmaceuticals,” the Lieutenant Governor further said.
He observed that the M.Tech programs like Tunnel Engineering and Structural Engineering will offer modern and global standard solutions to the challenges, especially in Jammu Kashmir and other Himalayan regions.
Prof. Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu presented a detailed overview of the institution’s Academic Programmes.
Prof. Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), senior officials, HoDs, faculty members, and incoming batches of students were present on the occasion.