All Things Policy A New SATHI in Battle
Jul 2, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Colonel KPM Das, a Jung Fellow with the Takshashila Institution, dives into the groundbreaking yet shelved SATHI handheld battle computer for the Indian Army. He shares insights on its development, purpose, and the lessons learned from the Kargil War. The conversation highlights the potential of Agentic AI and haptic interfaces to innovate military operations. KPM also addresses the challenges faced in military tech and proposes ideas for reviving the project, emphasizing the need for collaboration in modern warfare training.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Origin Story of SATHI
- In 2000, KPM Das was called by MOD to develop the SATHI device with tech pioneers in the room.
- This serendipitous meeting led to integrating the Simputer to create a world-class battlefield handheld computer.
Revolutionizing Battlefield Awareness
- SATHI aimed to digitize battlefield info to replace slow, paper maps and radio used in Kashmir and Northeast operations.
- It combined GIS, radio network, and touchscreen for real-time tactical awareness, ahead of its time.
Innovative Communication Protocol
- SATHI's communication range was a challenge, reduced from 5 km to 1.5 km operationally.
- The innovative Grapevine protocol ensured network connectivity by linking all team devices via intermediate nodes.