New Delhi: Indian Army needs to aim for energy efficiency through renewable sources, replacing its legacy transport fleet, advance its thermal and power military technologies, and explore wireless transmission of energy at forward areas, said Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) Lt Gen CP Mohanty.

The Army must also look at developing and diffusion of modelling, simulation and other analytical wargaming tools, Lt Gen Mohanty said in a webinar organised by New Delhi-based Think Tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) on April 23.

Energy efficiency of defence systems and field formations can help reduce the number of troops that are required to support the soldiers serving on the frontline, he said.

“It is imperative that all future force requirements and new systems being inducted in the Indian Army are evaluated for their energy efficiency,” the VCOAS noted.

He said energy efficiency can act as a force multiplier.

“This (energy efficiency) will also have a critical impact on making us resource surplus by reducing our long-term energy costs and thus enhancing our fiscal envelope for modernisation and capability enhancement,” he noted.

This should be done to reduce dependence on energy heavy firing practices, mass movement, war manoeuvres and joint exercises with troops, he added.