Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) and Starburst, France, celebrated a significant milestone in the advancement of aerospace, defence, and homeland security innovation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, stated a press release from the institute.
Hosted at the RRU campus in Lavad, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, the event brought together esteemed dignitaries, industry leaders, and stakeholders to witness the formalisation of a transformative collaboration.
The MoU signing ceremony marked the commencement of a dynamic partnership between RRU, Starburst, France, and Security and Scientific Technical Research Association (SASTRA), a Section 8, not-for-profit company under the Companies Act 2013, established by Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU).
This strategic alliance is aimed at fostering innovation and driving advancements in the aerospace, defence and homeland security sectors.
SASTRA's role in this collaboration amplifies the focus on innovation, incubation, and technology acceleration in the realm of national security and policing, further enhancing the collaborative efforts towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat and ensuring the nation's security and sovereignty.
RRU and Starburst share a vision of helping to ignite the emergence of a vibrant security and defence ecosystem in India, facilitating enterprise creation and nurturing the rapid growth of innovative start-ups spinning out of the region.
The partnership between Starburst and RRU is a reflection of the progress in the India-France strategic partnership in defence and space. This MoU also includes the creation of a Venture Capital fund of €100 million for aerospace, defence and security technology and provides export promotion support for Indian start-ups to explore international markets.
Those present and what they spoke
Key dignitaries present at the event included Professor (Dr) Bimal N Patel, Vice-Chancellor, RRU and François Chopard, CEO of Starburst, France. They were joined by Professor (Dr) Kalpesh Wandra, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of RRU; Colonel Nidhish Bhatnagar, Managing Director of SASTRA; and Koumar Vijaya, Executive Vice-President of Starburst, among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof (Dr) Bimal N Patel, Vice-Chancellor, RRU, expressed profound optimism regarding the partnership's transformative potential in catalysing innovation and bolstering self-reliance across the defence, homeland security, and related technological domains.
Prof Patel underscored RRU's steadfast commitment to nurturing a culture of statecraft and strategic acumen, specifically tailored to effectively confront and mitigate the multifaceted security challenges faced by the nation.
With a particular emphasis on homeland security and the defence sector, Prof Patel articulated, “This MoU will help RRU to contribute to realise the mandate of Centre of Excellence (CoE) for national security and defence management and global leader in the field of internal security, correctional administration and policing as well as CoE in SMART policing and artificial intelligence, machine learning and cyber security.”
He highlighted the imperative of fostering indigenous innovation and expertise to ensure self-sufficiency in critical areas of defence technology, intelligence gathering, and counterterrorism strategies.
Francois Chopard, CEO of Starburst, France, accentuated the significance of the collaboration in fostering a vibrant ecosystem for technological innovation and entrepreneurial growth in the ASD and homeland security sectors.
Colonel Nidhish Bhatnagar, Managing Director, SASTRA remarked, “This collaboration signifies a pivotal step towards bolstering India's technological prowess and ensuring the nation's security and sovereignty. In addition to fostering innovation and driving advancements in these critical sectors, the partnership aims to achieve several significant objectives. By leveraging the expertise and resources of all organisations, we seek to accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies, facilitating the rapid advancement of innovative solutions to address evolving security challenges. Together, we endeavour to create a vibrant ecosystem for technological innovation and entrepreneurial growth, stimulating economic growth, job creation, and technological leadership in these strategic sectors.”
The MoU aims to establish a dynamic framework for collaboration between RRU, SASTRA, and Starburst in the Aerospace, Space, Defence (ASD) and Homeland Security sectors. Through this partnership, the organisations seek to foster innovation by leveraging their collective expertise, resources, and networks.
Key goals include creating an environment conducive to the growth of start-ups and entrepreneurs, promoting indigenous innovation, and reducing dependency on foreign technologies in defence manufacturing, research, and development.
“I am confident that this collaboration will catalyse ground-breaking innovations, propelling us towards a more secure and prosperous future” remarked Major General ND Prasad (Retd) AVSM, VSM, Director, School of Internal Security, Defence & Strategic Studies, RRU.
Speaking on the occasion, Major General Deepak Mehra, Kirti Chakra, AVSM, VSM (Retd) Director, School of Internal Security and SMART Policing (SISSP), RRU stated, “This is a golden opportunity to partake in the unique phenomenon of utilising AI-based technologies in a security enmeshed architecture by leveraging entrepreneurial power of start-ups to connect with government initiatives and innovate to find better prevention and protection-based solutions across the security domains. As Bharat marches towards the goal of a developed nation, this will assist in fortifying our nation with cutting-edge technologies by revolutionising the dynamic ecosystem of national security.”
The event epitomised a shared commitment towards driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and advancing self-reliance in critical sectors. Aligned with RRU's vision to emerge as a premier centre of knowledge for stakeholders seeking a peaceful, prosperous, and stable world order, and bolstered by the university's mission to cultivate a national strategic and security culture, the MoU represents a significant stride towards realising these aspirations.
By synergising efforts to nurture innovation, build strategic partnerships, and enhance educational and research capabilities, the collaboration between RRU, SASTRA and Starburst, France, underscores a collective endeavour to strengthen India's national security and strategic interests.
