Efficient protection for man, machine and terrain has emerged as the most urgent priority in the current geopolitical dynamic. With conflict tactics assuming newer, more complex dimensions, defending people and assets with minimum collateral damage has become the greatest focus of advanced military technologies.

With India’s ambition to build a robust indigenous defence ecosystem, the onus of developing and enabling next-gen protection systems – whether for soldiers in combat zones, for armoured vehicle prototypes, or even helicopters and naval shipyards – rests firmly with materials science. As offensive technologies and tactics have evolved, so has the field of defensive materials and protection systems.

New-age materials using the power of nanotechnology, hybrid alternatives, and composites are rapidly redefining protection to look beyond merely safeguarding from firepower. They are built to fulfil challenges unique to every type of protection and performance requirement.

The various DRDO labs and private organisations like CUMI are actively collaborating to prototype, test, refine, and design protection systems that are distinctive to the diverse needs of Indian soldiers and combat terrains.

The core objective – to leverage the power of these new-age materials to keep our soldiers safe and save lives by ensuring the highest degree of protection.

Thanks to these highly advanced materials that can effectively neutralise evolving, lethal threats, soldiers are assured of the best in comfort, agility, and protection.  

As we navigate the Ministry of Defence-designated ‘Year of Reforms’ in defence, the greatest transformation in soldier, vehicle, and asset protection will come from innovations that leverage the immense potential of advanced and new-age materials.

With CUMI’s 70-year legacy and leadership in materials science engineering, we share a ring-side view of what protection involves in the evolving threat landscape. You can gain deeper insights on this topic in our recently-released whitepaper on ‘Redefining protection of man and machine in an evolving threat landscape’. It discusses the evolution of threats, innovations in new-age materials, and CUMI’s contribution in developing future-ready protection solutions.