AI To Boost Capabilities of Indian Armed Forces

The Indian government has started work on incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the operational preparedness of the armed forces as part of an ambitious project. The project would include equipping the forces with unmanned tanks, vessels, aerial vehicles and robotic weaponry. The move is part of a broader policy initiative to prepare the Army, Navy and the Air Force for next-generation warfare and comes amid rising Chinese investments in developing critical applications of AI for its military.

The government had decided to introduce AI in all the three forces as it would be a “big area” considering the requirements of future warfare. It is India’s preparation for next generation warfare as AI is where the future is going to be. The next-generation warfare will be more and more technology driven, more and more automated and robotised. Unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned naval vessels, unmanned tanks and automatic robotic rifles as weapon systems will have an extensive use in future wars, and the initiative is a baby step to create capabilities for all these platforms. The project would also include the production of a range of unmanned platforms for the three services. The project went into action as the forces were strongly pushing for extensive applications of AI in their operational preparedness on a par with leading global military powers.

As per the officials, the application of AI in the surveillance of India’s borders with China and Pakistan could significantly ease the pressure on armed forces personnel guarding the sensitive frontiers. China has put an enormous amount of money into AI research and machine learning. Last year, it unveiled an ambitious plan to make the country the AI innovation centre of the world by 2030. Not just China but other nations like the US, Britain, France and the European Union are also investing significantly in AI, an area of computer science devoted to the creation of intelligent machines. The unique thing about the Indian initiative is that the industry and defence forces are working jointly.