Manish Kumar Jha (Manish): Give us the complete outlook of Dassault Systemes, its innovations, core competencies, applications and systems that come out such tech-based innovations.

Azmathullah Mohammed (Azmathullah): Dassault Systèmes is a global leader in virtual twin technology, driving innovation across industries through its 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Dassault Systemes enables businesses to develop smarter, more sustainable products and solutions that address major global challenges. From mobility and healthcare to urban planning and high-tech, Dassault Systèmes provides science-based virtual twin experiences that help companies design, simulate, and optimise their operations in a digital environment before implementation in the real world. This approach enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and accelerates innovation.

In the manufacturing sector, the brand is revolutionising traditional processes by blending the virtual and physical worlds. The concept of a 'factory of experiences' replaces conventional supply chains with digital ecosystems that foster collaboration and sustainable value networks. Virtual twin technology plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and improving resource management, helping industries move towards net-zero goals.

Dassault Systèmes is a global leader in virtual twin technology, driving innovation across industries through its 3DEXPERIENCE platform

In healthcare, the company is pioneering virtual twins of the human body, enabling personalised treatments and predictive modeling for better patient outcomes. With its MEDIDATA products, Dassault Systèmes supports over 8,000 active clinical trials, influencing more than 50 per cent of drug and medical device innovations worldwide. By aggregating data and integrating AI-driven simulations, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enhances research, medical training, and regulatory compliance, ultimately placing patients at the centre of healthcare transformation.

Since its inception in 1981, Dassault Systèmes has consistently driven industrial transformation and now extends its expertise to organic innovation. Its solutions power 100 per cent of electric vehicle manufacturers, all major aircraft designs-including solar-powered planes-and over half of the medical advancements worldwide.

Manish: What is the focus area in India?

Azmathullah: Dassault Systèmes’ focus in India revolves around driving innovation, sustainability, and ecosystem development across key industries through its 3DEXPERIENCE platform and virtual twin technology. A major emphasis is on aerospace and defence, where the company enables advanced simulations for aerodynamics, structural integrity, and performance optimisation of aircraft and satellites. In life sciences and healthcare, Dassault Systèmes is revolutionising research, medical treatments, and surgical planning by providing digital solutions that help understand, model, and optimise human health outcomes.

Virtual Twin technology plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and improving resource management, helping industries move towards net-zero goals

Beyond large industries, the company actively supports startups and SMEs by providing cutting-edge software, mentorship, and access to a global marketplace, helping them scale and address industrial challenges. Sustainability is another critical focus, with efforts directed toward decarbonisation, circular economy models, and sustainable energy solutions. Additionally, Dassault Systèmes is focused on developing solutions for infrastructure and smart cities, aiming to optimise infrastructure and improve quality of life. Dassault Systèmes also contributes to education and talent development through La Fondation Dassault Systèmes India, which fosters research and training in agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, and urban planning.

Manish: Dassault Systèmes’ Virtual Twin technology has broader applications. What can it do in the areas of defence and aerospace?

Azmathullah: Dassault Systèmes’ Virtual Twin technology, powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, is transforming the aerospace and defence sectors by enhancing design, simulation, predictive maintenance, and collaboration. It allows manufacturers to create virtual prototypes of aircraft, engines, and defence systems, enabling comprehensive testing of aerodynamics, structural integrity, and electromagnetic hazards before physical production. This accelerates innovation while reducing costs and risks.

In defence, Virtual Twin technology integrates real-time data for predictive maintenance, identifying potential failures before they occur. This proactive approach improves the reliability and longevity of critical assets, optimising maintenance schedules and minimising downtime. Additionally, it facilitates cross-functional collaboration between design, engineering, and maintenance teams, ensuring seamless decision-making and more agile manufacturing processes.

For the development of advanced systems like aero engines, propulsion, and next-generation materials, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables virtual twin technology to simulate, test, and optimise performance before physical production

Sustainability is another key advantage, as Virtual Twins support lifecycle assessments (LCA) to measure environmental impact, optimise resource use, and design lighter, more efficient products. The technology also plays a crucial role in reverse engineering aging defence assets, addressing obsolescence challenges, and ensuring continued airworthiness. Furthermore, it enhances training and skills development by providing a digital environment for personnel to simulate procedures and scenarios safely.

By leveraging Virtual Twin technology, aerospace and defence organisations can drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and enhance sustainability while maintaining a strategic advantage in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Manish: How can Virtual Twin radically optimise the manufacturing process, maintenance, and resource optimisation, minimising waste and bringing cost-effectiveness?

Azmathullah: Virtual Twin technology radically optimises manufacturing, maintenance, and resource management by enabling real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and process optimisation. By simulating production scenarios and testing designs in a virtual environment, manufacturers can identify bottlenecks, refine workflows, and enhance efficiency without disrupting actual operations. The ability to analyse real-time and historical data ensures predictive maintenance, minimising equipment failures, reducing downtime, and optimising maintenance schedules.

Resource optimisation is another key benefit, as Virtual Twins help simulate material usage, track waste, and enhance energy efficiency, leading to sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing. By integrating lean manufacturing principles, companies can streamline processes, reduce excess material consumption, and achieve a more agile production system. Additionally, remote monitoring capabilities allow for faster issue resolution, ensuring continuous operational excellence.

Virtual Twin technology transforms manufacturing by reducing waste, improving product quality, and accelerating time to market. It fosters a data-driven approach to decision-making, enabling manufacturers to create more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable production ecosystems.

Manish: What is your foundational 3DEXPERIENCE platform and its wide application in defence and aerospace? How can one leverage building advanced systems such as aero engines, propulsion, and advanced materials?

Azmathullah: Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a foundational digital ecosystem that bridges the gap between the virtual and real world, enabling aerospace and defence companies to accelerate innovation, optimise complex systems, and build the next generation of advanced technologies. The platform provides a model-based, data-driven environment that integrates design, manufacturing, testing, certification, and maintenance into a seamless workflow. This allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers to increase production agility, improve efficiency, and drive sustainable innovation, particularly in areas such as electrification, hydrogen propulsion, and cyber-secure sovereign systems.

By leveraging Dassault Systèmes’ expertise and digital solutions, Indian startups can drive disruptive innovations, optimise costs, and scale their solutions for global impact

For the development of advanced systems like aero engines, propulsion, and next-generation materials, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables virtual twin technology to simulate, test, and optimise performance before physical production. Engineers can leverage real-time data, AI-driven insights, and digital continuity to refine aerodynamic efficiency, enhance structural integrity, and explore innovative materials that reduce carbon footprint. The platform also supports the transformation of conventional supply chains into data-driven quality management ecosystems, ensuring reliability and sustainability in aerospace and defence programmes.

By integrating design, simulation, and manufacturing within a single digital framework, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform empowers A&D companies to accelerate time to market, reduce costs, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive and disruptive industry landscape.

Manish: Could you talk about 3DS' value proposition in the area of marine, especially shipbuilding and its infrastructure?

Azmathullah: Dassault Systèmes’ value proposition in the marine industry, particularly shipbuilding and its infrastructure, lies in transforming traditional shipbuilding into smart, digitally connected shipyards. The shipbuilding industry faces increasing complexity-ranging from stringent regulatory requirements to the demand for high-tech, fuel-efficient vessels. Dassault Systèmes addresses these challenges through its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which integrates virtual twin technology to optimise ship design, streamline manufacturing, and enhance operational efficiency.

By leveraging the power of virtual twins, shipbuilders can test and validate design options early in the lifecycle, reducing costly rectifications downstream. The platform ensures seamless digital continuity from design to production, enabling shipyards to manage change efficiently, optimise workflows, and reduce material waste. It also supports real-time collaboration across globally distributed suppliers, regulatory bodies, and classification agencies, ensuring compliance and quality control at every stage.

The smart shipyard approach powered by Dassault Systèmes enables shipbuilders to create a fully integrated and automated production environment. Virtual simulation of production parts and processes helps optimise manufacturing, while real-time data analytics improve decision-making, capacity planning, and resource allocation. This enhances first-time-right production rates, accelerates delivery timelines, and improves profitability.

Furthermore, as shipyards face pressure to develop greener and more sustainable vessels, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform helps implement new manufacturing processes without disrupting production. It supports the development of cleaner propulsion systems, lightweight materials, and energy-efficient ship designs, ensuring that shipbuilders stay competitive in an evolving regulatory landscape.

Manish: Share your scope of space innovation and how Indian startups can leverage your expertise in satellite, communications, and space systems?

Azmathullah: Dassault Systèmes is at the forefront of space innovation, empowering startups and enterprises to accelerate breakthroughs in satellite communications, space exploration, and advanced space systems. With the rapid expansion of the space economy-driven by private investments, small satellite constellations, and reusable launch technologies-India's growing space startups have a unique opportunity to leverage cutting-edge solutions for rapid and cost-effective innovation.

Dassault Systèmes’ approach to simulation is deeply integrated with the design process, creating digital replicas of real-world systems to facilitate predictive maintenance and continuous performance optimisation

The 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud enables startups to design, test, and validate complex space systems, including satellites, propulsion systems, and communication networks, through virtual twin experiences. This reduces the need for extensive physical prototyping, optimises development costs, and accelerates time-to-market. As the demand for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations continues to rise, Dassault Systèmes provides the tools needed to manage large-scale satellite production, enhance manufacturability, and ensure seamless integration with launch vehicles. Additionally, AI-driven digital twin technology helps optimise space missions by enabling predictive analytics for mission planning, satellite lifecycle management, and orbital operations, ensuring efficient resource utilisation and improved mission success rates.

Collaboration is a key driver of innovation in the New Space era, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform fosters real-time coordination among global teams, supply chains, and investors, enabling agile development and faster commercialisation of space technologies. Furthermore, with sustainability becoming a crucial aspect of space operations, the platform supports startups in designing reusable launchers and implementing responsible de-orbitation strategies to minimise space debris.

As the space industry evolves, several trends are shaping its trajectory. The rapid expansion of small satellite constellations is revolutionising global connectivity and Earth observation, while advancements in AI and automation are reducing costs and improving the reliability of space missions. Additionally, the rise of private space players is unlocking new commercial opportunities, from satellite-based services to deep space exploration.

With India's space sector opening up to private players and ISRO fostering commercial ventures, Indian startups have an unprecedented opportunity to develop next-generation space systems. By leveraging Dassault Systèmes’ expertise and digital solutions, these startups can drive disruptive innovations, optimise costs, and scale their solutions for global impact.

Manish: Simulation is another core area which cuts through civil to defence for the complex systems. How is Dassault Systemes building on that? Can you talk about some simulation systems for such advanced platforms?

Azmathullah: Simulation is a critical enabler of innovation across both civil and defence sectors, allowing for the design, testing, and optimisation of complex systems before physical prototypes are built. Dassault Systèmes, through its SIMULIA suite integrated within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, provides cutting-edge simulation capabilities that drive efficiency, safety, and performance in advanced platforms. By leveraging multi-physics simulation, virtual twin technology, and high-performance computing (HPC), Dassault Systèmes enables engineers to model real-world behaviours with extreme accuracy, accelerating development cycles and reducing costs.

For aerospace and defence applications, structural simulation (FEA) ensures the integrity of aircraft, spacecraft, and military vehicle components under extreme conditions, while computational fluid dynamics (CFD) optimises aerodynamics and engine performance. Multibody dynamics is crucial for modelling complex mechanical systems such as landing gear, robotic manipulators, and weapon platforms, ensuring they operate efficiently in real-world scenarios. Additionally, electromagnetic simulation enhances the design of communication systems and ensures electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) to prevent signal interference. In defence applications, vibro-acoustics simulation plays a crucial role in minimising noise and vibration for stealth optimisation, ensuring mission success.

Dassault Systèmes’ approach to simulation is deeply integrated with the design process. The seamless design-to-simulation workflow, enabled by tools like CATIA, allows for real-time iteration between CAD and simulation environments, significantly reducing time-to-market. Moreover, virtual twin technology creates digital replicas of real-world systems, facilitating predictive maintenance and continuous performance optimisation. This is particularly valuable for military vehicle design, where simulations help optimise terrain interaction, suspension performance, and survivability under ballistic impact scenarios. In spacecraft development, simulation ensures structural resilience against launch stresses and extreme temperature variations, while for weapon systems, advanced modelling helps analyse projectile trajectories, recoil effects, and overall system stability.

 

Manish Kumar Jha is a Consulting & Contributing Editor for SP's Aviation, SP's Land Forces and SP's Naval Forces and a security expert. He writes on national security, military technology, strategic affairs & policies.