IIT Mandi signs MoU with IAF's HQ to collaborate on R&D in artificial intelligence and machine learning

The Indian Institute of Technology in Mandi signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Air Force's Headquarters Maintenance Command (HQ MC) in Nagpur on Monday, January 23 to collaborate on research and development in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The MoU was signed by deputy senior maintenance staff officer of the HQ MC Biji Philip and dean (Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy) at IIT, Mandi Tulika Srivastava, a statement said.

With this pact, IIT, Mandi, and HQ MC will collaborate for research projects, technology development, and skill development in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, human-computer interaction, and decision support systems, it added, as per a report by PTI. 

Speaking on this, the dean Tulika Srivastava said, "I congratulate the whole team of IIT Mandi and HQ MC for formalizing their association in the form of this MoU. One of the main mottos of IIT Mandi is to foster research and development in engineering and technology development and this pact is a step forward toward it." 

Further, the biggest asset of IIT Mandi is the extremely energetic and enthusiastic pool of faculty and students, Srivastava said, adding that "I am sure that through this association both organisations will mutually benefit and perform important innovations in the area of AI and machine learning".

Giving more details, the statement issued by the IIT said the MoU will enable activities such as mutual visits by officers of MC and IIT Mandi faculty for discussion on the collaborative projects, and conducting joint brainstorming sessions and workshops.

Moreover, the collaboration will also facilitate the technology development and will look into plans to scale up the prototypes and technologies coming out of the collaboration for fabrication by mutually identified industry partners, as stated in a report by PTI.