The step has been taken to achieve cost effective, safe and smart training across all wings of armed forces, including Indian Coast Guard

With an aim to transform to simulation–based training across all military domains, India’s Ministry of Defence on Thursday promulgated the framework for enhanced and synergized utilization of simulators for the country’s armed forces, including Indian Coast Guard.

“The overarching vision is to transform to simulation-based training across all military domains for combatants, leaders, maintainers, administrators, life science experts, procurement and financial agencies and thus achieve cost effective, efficient, safe, fast-paced and smart training,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The framework lays emphasis on indigenous design and development as well as outsourcing of operation and maintenance of simulators to the Indian companies. The framework has the following goals and objectives: Reduce live equipment utilization; Ensure capability plans cater for phased induction of simulators; Requirement of simulators at the planning stage of procurement; Coordinate among various agencies of the Government and factor combined requirements of simulators during procurement.

The policy will be applicable to all types of simulators in use or to be procured in the future by the armed forces. Avenues of application of simulation technology will be constantly explored to achieve a high level of op preparedness while reducing expenditure on training and preserving the life of equipment.

A detailed action plan with assigned responsibility to all the constituents of MoD and industrial association will be followed to revitalise the exploitation of simulators by the three Services and the ICG.

The Indian agencies involved in development, production and maintenance would be engaged by the armed forces to ensure highest level of indigenisation for production, deployment and maintenance of the military simulators, the Ministry of Defence said.