India developing world’s first AI-driven risk modelling platform ‘Agni Kawach’

As India’s energy landscape evolves, industries are facing increased safety challenges, including risks of fires, explosions, and toxic gas leaks. Experts say the growing complexity of renewable and hydrogen-based infrastructure requires advanced modelling tools to assess and mitigate such hazards effectively.

To address such challenges, India is working on the world’s first AI-enhanced risk modelling platform, ‘Agni Kawach’, aimed at improving industrial safety amid the rapid expansion of new energy sectors such as green hydrogen, bio-ethanol, and other renewables.

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Currently, most Indian industries rely on costly imported risk modelling software, often bound by restrictive licensing and high renewal fees. This dependence has limited access to advanced safety tools, forcing many operators to rely on manual or empirical methods, raising concerns over safety gaps and regulatory compliance.

The lack of a domestic Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-based platform is seen as a strategic vulnerability, particularly for critical sectors such as refineries, fertilisers, defence, nuclear energy, and energy terminals.

The development of ‘Agni Kawach’ is being positioned as a step towards technological self-reliance, enabling affordable and high-precision safety modelling while strengthening India’s sovereign capabilities in industrial risk analysis, similar to efforts in defence and space sectors.

The platform will integrate CFD-based simulations with artificial intelligence to model scenarios such as gas dispersion, fires, and explosions under real-world conditions across both conventional and renewable energy systems.

Once operational, ‘Agni Kawach’ is expected to assist regulators, public sector units, consultants, and private players in designing safer industrial facilities, validating safety systems, and reducing accident risks and response times.

Notably, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has also expressed concern over rising industrial accidents and their impact on human lives, infrastructure, and the environment. Inspired by his vision, ‘Agni Kawach’ is being spearheaded by INDRAX: Centre of Higher Sciences in Safety and Energy Solutions for a self-reliant India and to support the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.