Almost two-thirds of India’s sprawling forests are now under threat from invasive species. One of the most harmful is a plant with clusters of pretty flowers and lush foliage: Lantana camara. The plant accounts for 40 percent of the spread of invasive species in India, and is now one of the most widespread weeds.

“It might look harmless,” says Avinash S, a project lead based in Chennai, “but lantana is choking native plants that are a food source for herbivores. It is even disrupting the habitat for tigers, among other animals. When the tiger habitats are lost, the tigers move elsewhere – and this brings them into dangerous proximity to humans.”

Avinash is the project lead for Invasive X, one of the winning teams of the Capgemini Tech4Positive Futures Challenge, which has been developing a solution to slow down the rapid spread of lantana, using a combination of AI-powered detection and robotics.

In Bengaluru, senior manager and sales strategist in the team, Maithri Heriya, sheds light on the source of the problem. “Lantana was introduced to India in the 1800s, as an ornamental plant,” she says. “It’s extremely adaptable and isn’t a food source for animals, so it spreads fast because it outcompetes other native species. The density of its growth is also a great fuel for forest fires, so it’s not just an environmental issue – it’s a social and economic one, too.”

Maithri has been with the company for more than three years, and says responding to Capgemini’s Tech4Positive Futures Challenge has been one of the most meaningful parts of her work: “We’re not just talking about sustainability; we’re actually doing something about it,” she says. “To have success, we can’t just have a good idea – we have to make it real.”

Tackling the challenge

Avinash helped the team to connect with forest officials and partner with the Swan Trust, an organization with more than two decades of experience in biodiversity restoration. Together with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, they identified several ecological challenges that they could explore, and it became clear that the threat from invasive species was one of the most critical.

“I’ve always wanted to work on projects that truly protect the environment, and seeing the threat of lantana firsthand was shocking. Knowing we can contribute a solution is deeply rewarding,” Avinash says.

The team’s goal was to develop a scalable, affordable technology solution that could help forest departments detect and remove lantana efficiently.

A two-stage tech solution

“When it comes to technology, the project has two stages,” Avinash adds. “First, we use AI-powered detection – drones with multi-spectral cameras that are mapping several hectares of forest land. These cameras read the unique spectral signature of each plant, helping us to identify them among all the other plants in the forest.”

“We trained an AI model using hundreds of lantana samples, so it can recognize the plant across different terrains and seasons, enabling early detection of invasive plants. The results appear on a dashboard, with GPS coordinates and density maps that show high-, medium-, and low-infestation zones.”

The second stage of the project is about the mechanical removal of lantana from the forest.

“For this, we’re developing a semi-automatic bot that can attach to existing forestry or agricultural vehicles and navigate the difficult forest terrain,” says Avinash. “Guided by data from the dashboard, it can shred or uproot lantana mechanically. This isn’t about building a fancy robot; it’s about developing a practical innovation – something forest departments can afford and use at scale.”

The potential for global impact

Maithri believes the solution can have a huge impact.

“Agriculture in India loses billions to invasive weeds,” she says. “It also supports sustainability initiatives by protecting natural forests and promoting agroforestry. What makes it exciting is how AI learns the subtle differences in plants – color changes, leaf shapes, even seasonal variations. Combining that intelligence with robotics gives us a smart, low-cost way to restore ecosystems. We’re starting small, but this has global potential.”

Avinash agrees: “This can be replicated globally. Many countries face similar invasive-species issues, and the same AI and multi-spectral technology could benefit agriculture by detecting crop diseases, pests, or nutrient deficiencies. It could even help prevent forest fires. Turning this idea into reality would be one of my proudest achievements.”

Maithri is grateful to have had the opportunity to work on an impactful project that will help restore the ecological balance of the forests.

“Capgemini really empowers employees to explore ideas. The Tech4Positive Futures program gave us the space, support, and mentorship we needed. That culture of trust and curiosity fuels innovation. We live in exciting times, when technology is evolving faster than ever – and we have a chance to use it to heal the planet. Projects such as this, with positive real-world impact, are what the world needs right now.”