Pune: 168 Tech-Savvy Military Leaders Graduate from MILIT’s DSTSC-07, Ready for Modern Warfare Challenges
Khadakwasla, 25th April 2025: A landmark moment unfolded at the Military Institute of Technology (MILIT) as 168 officers of the Indian Armed Forces, including seven officers from Sri Lanka, successfully graduated from the Defence Services Technical Staff Course (DSTSC)-07. This flagship course, meticulously designed for mid-career officers across all arms of the Indian Armed Forces, hones their expertise for future command and staff appointments, ensuring a technologically adept and strategically agile military leadership.
Lt General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, AVSM, GOC-in-C, Southern Command graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The ceremony witnessed an esteemed gathering of senior dignitaries from Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), DIAT, IIT-Bombay, defence industries, and academia, along with officers from the Three services.
The Chief Guest presented awards to the top-performing officers during the passing out ceremony. The First in Overall Order of Merit in DSTSC (Army, Navy & Air Force) Major Akash Awasthi, Comdt (JG) Sheikh Kasim and Wg Cdr Prince Arora, respectively were conferred upon the best performers from each service.
Additionally, the prestigious Purple Trophy, instituted by HQ Integrated Defence Staff to foster jointness among tri-service officers, was awarded to the spint of inter-service synergy candidate, underlining jointmanship and tech acumen In his valedictory address, Lt General Dhiraj Seth underscored the critical role of cutting-edge technologies in modern warfare. Emphasizing the need for technologically proficient and strategically astute leaders, he called upon the graduating officers to continuously upgrade their knowledge in emerging and niche technologies to ensure optimal induction of advanced equipment into the Armed Forces. He lauded MILIT for integrating contemporary technical training with specialized modules on emerging technologies, a move that will significantly enhance the operational effectiveness of future military leadership.
Encouraging the graduates, the Chief Guest urged them to adopt a pragmatic and innovative approach in their assignments, leveraging their newfound expertise for the greater security and technological advancement of the nation The event concluded with Lt General Dhiraj Seth’s visit to the newly inaugurated Advanced Al integrated Drone Lab, where he commended Rear Admiral Nelson D’Souza, NM, Commandant, MILIT, for spearheading the latest upgrade of MILIT’s training infrastructure, further cementing its reputation as a premier defence technology training institute.
With this milestone graduation, MILIT continues to set new benchmarks in military-technical education, equipping the Armed Forces with adept leaders poised to navigate the evolving landscape of modern warfare.
