India’s Operation Sindoor marked a milestone in the country’s journey towards technological self-reliance in military operations, be it in drone warfare, layered air defence, or electronic warfare. As correctly put by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the world witnessed India’s military might.
This puts an even greater focus on the need for modern warfare techniques as “yesterday’s weapons can’t win today’s wars, tomorrow’s technology is needed to fight today’s battles.” This statement was made by Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan as he stressed on the need to adopt future-ready technology.
In a move that resonates this, Indian Army is looking to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data Analytics by 2026–27 and has worked out a roadmap to identify areas for the same.
What is Indian Army’s AI plan for the future?
Indian Armed forces are planning to use AI, ML, data analytics in a host of areas including drone swarming or coordinated drone missions, real-time battlefield monitoring to combat simulations for troop training, information warfare, and data-backed decision-making, The Indian Express reported.
With the help of this new age tech, the Indian Army could gain an upper hand in better positioning and targeting of equipment, predictive maintenance, and AI-based navigation in environments where GPS access is denied.
As part of its latest push, Indian Army plans to position AI across a wide range of functions, which include decision support systems which can generate counter-intelligence. Indian Army’s AI roadmap also involves enhancing surveillance, managing logistics and supply chains, along with analysing Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and social media.
The report added that AI features will also be embedded in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements.
AI in Indian Army: What is the top brass saying?
CDS Chauhan recently stated that a dependence on foreign technologies weakens our preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production, and results in a shortfall of critical spares for sustenance and round-the-clock availability. And to oversee the implementation of these next gen technologies, an AI lab is also under works at Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS).
These will be integrated with AI applications being developed by the Navy and the Air Force.