Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who arrived in Prayagraj on Sunday evening, will inaugurate the three-day North Tech Symposium 2026 here on Monday morning.
The event, jointly organised by the Northern and Central Commands of the Indian Army in collaboration with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, will run from May 4 to May 6 in the New Cantonment area.
“The symposium is set to serve as a major platform for showcasing indigenous defence technologies and promoting innovation to address operational challenges faced by the Indian Army. It also aims to strengthen technology integration across the force,” said Wg Cdr Debartho Dhar, PRO (Defence), Prayagraj.
“This year’s theme, “Raksha Triveni Sangam – Where Technology, Industry & Soldiering Converge,” underlines the collaboration between the armed forces, industry, and innovators,” he added.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to attend the event on its concluding day on May 6 while Union minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh is also expected to grace the event as a special guest.
A total of 284 companies will participate in the exhibition, including MSMEs, private defence technology firms, start-ups, and uniformed innovators from across India. They will display a wide range of cutting-edge defence technologies and solutions.
The event is focused on identifying field-ready technologies, improving maintenance systems, and streamlining procurement processes. It is also aimed at advancing a sustainable and self-reliant defence ecosystem for the Indian Army.
Officials said the Army continues to stress the importance of emerging technologies in addressing modern security challenges. The North Tech Symposium 2026 is expected to act as a strong bridge between the armed forces, scientists, industry leaders, and academia, encouraging collaboration and innovation for national security and technological advancement.
Among the key technologies on display will be high-altitude drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), swarm drone systems, advanced radar systems, VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) drones, counter-drone technologies, indigenous all-terrain vehicles, holographic weapon sights, fuel cells and alternative power solutions.
A highlight of the event is expected to be the demonstration of “Kite Interceptors,” an AI-driven counter-unmanned aircraft system designed to detect and neutralise hostile aerial threats.
Defence officials said the symposium is focused on identifying field-ready technologies, improving maintenance systems and streamlining procurement processes to support a more efficient and self-reliant defence ecosystem. Live demonstrations of military equipment will also be conducted during the event.
Following the inauguration, Singh is scheduled to interact with exhibitors and review the displayed technologies. According to his programme, he will visit the exhibition stalls and witness live demonstrations of defence equipment.
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