Modern warfare is changing at a pace unprecedented since the nuclear age. Nations that have mastered data-driven systems are reducing the time between detection and attack from hours to seconds. There is an advantage inherent in that compression. There is danger in delay. This is not an abstract principle for India. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the AI ​​Impact Summit in New Delhi this week, the message spread far beyond the conference hall. This was not just a celebration of digital innovation. This was a declaration of intent. India wants a decisive role in shaping the technologies that will define power in this century.
Beneath the speeches and demonstrations lies a difficult question: Can India use these new intelligent systems to break free from decades of defense dependency and build a military that is faster, smarter and more self-reliant?
new air superiority race
The race is already on. Consider the airspace.
China has deployed the fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft J-20, which is designed not only for air combat but also for network warfare. Beijing is already investing in sixth-generation aircraft concepts built around manned-unmanned teaming, where a single pilot commands multiple autonomous drones in combat. These aircraft are not just jets; They’re blowing up data nodes.
Meanwhile, the United States is developing its own Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform, often described as a sixth-generation system, intended to operate with autonomous “loyal wingman” drones. The emphasis is clear—integration, speed, survival.
In such a battlefield, air superiority will depend less on raw numbers and more on sensor fusion, data-sharing and machine-assisted targeting.
Even Russia is taking lessons from its war in Ukraine, which has stepped up work on electronic warfare and automated targeting. The conflict has become a harsh laboratory for real-time experimentation. The middle powers have moved forward decisively. Israel has demonstrated how advanced targeting and intelligence-correlation tools can enhance military effectiveness.
Where does India stand in that race?
Drones, swarms, and the changing economics of war
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated a brutal truth—cheap drones can destroy expensive armor. Swarm tactics, hundreds of coordinated unmanned systems that overwhelm air defenses, are reshaping the economics of the battlefield.
India has started investing in swarm drone programs through the Defense Research and Development Organization and iDEX framework. But the scale and pace of deployment will determine whether these efforts remain experimental or become operational doctrine.
If China can deploy drone swarms along disputed borders, and if other powers can saturate maritime security with autonomous systems, India should be prepared not only to deploy similar capabilities but also to defend against them.
India’s structural challenge
India’s armed forces have long struggled with outdated platforms, slow procurement and dependence on foreign suppliers. Intelligent systems suggest a way.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, advanced naval surveillance and precision munitions are now priority areas under India’s defense acquisition process. The iDEX (Innovations for Defense Excellence) scheme has opened doors for start-ups and private companies to work with the Army.
There’s another, less-discussed opportunity: upgrading what’s already there. Retrofitting older combat aircraft with advanced threat-assessment modules, fitting armored vehicles with computer-vision systems, and modernizing electronic warfare suites can extend the life of existing assets at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Instead of pursuing the slow, step-by-step modernization seen in Cold War armies, India can embed intelligent capability directly into platforms, compressing two decades of progress into a few focused years.
The Defense Research and Development Organization has intensified work on swarm drones and autonomous underwater systems. Loose foreign investment rules have also encouraged partnerships with private industry. The pieces are falling into place. The question is whether they can be connected fast enough.
robotic ground system
Robotic quadruped systems, often called “robo-dogs”, have been tested by the Chinese and US militaries for reconnaissance and urban operations. Armed robotic platforms and unmanned ground vehicles are also under development globally.
Beyond patrolling and reconnaissance, global armies are exploring robotic infantry support units, humanoid or semi-autonomous systems that can assist troops in combat, carry supplies, or conduct high-risk operations in hostile terrain. India can leverage similar technology to augment personnel on multi-front deployments.
These systems reduce risk to soldiers while expanding surveillance reach. They may patrol dangerous areas, enter disputed buildings, or serve as advance observers.
India’s armed forces, especially in high-altitude and counter-insurgency environments, could benefit from such systems. But integrating robotic units requires doctrinal clarity, training improvements, and budget prioritization, not just procurement announcements.
Logistics: The Hidden Breakthrough
History is witness to the fact that wars are won as much by supply lines as by firepower. Napoleon famously said, “Armies march on their stomachs.” This truth persists even in the digital age.
Data models can predict spare part shortages, ammunition needs and maintenance failures before they disrupt operations. For India, with troops deployed from the heights of the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean coast, predictive supply management can prevent costly downtime and reduce wastage.
As India moves towards an integrated theater command, logistics and intelligence will have to speak the same language. Smart systems can act as a bridge between services that traditionally operate in silos.
theory in the machine age
Wars cannot be won with technology alone. Strategy gives it meaning.
India’s doctrine has evolved since Cold Start discussions in the early 2000s, yet it has not fully addressed the ethical and operational dilemmas of automated warfare.
If a decision-support system recommends a strike, who bears legal responsibility? How should India respond if an adversary’s automated systems react faster than human commanders? To what extent should the use of lethal autonomous weapons be controlled, especially given India’s stated commitment to strategic restraint?
These are not academic debates. They are battlefield realities in waiting.
India’s participation in global technology governance forums, including discussions at the AI ​​Impact Summit, suggests awareness that regulations must keep pace with capability. Power without principle invites miscalculation.
cyber and space battlefield
Modern warfare now extends far beyond land, sea and air.
Cyber ​​attacks can paralyze command networks before the first shot is fired. Military satellites provide real-time intelligence, targeting data and communications. India has already flagged the risks of adversarial space cooperation; During Operation Sindoor, officials raised concerns that China was providing real-time satellite intelligence support to Pakistan.
In response, India should strengthen its cyber defense architecture and invest in credible counter-space capabilities, including satellite jamming and electronic disruption, to deny adversaries a decisive informational edge. Space is no longer a passive domain; It is contested, and information superiority will determine the outcome of future conflicts.
soldier of tomorrow
The change is already visible on the front lines.
Advanced surveillance systems can process satellite feeds, signals intelligence, and open-source data simultaneously, offering commanders an integrated operational picture. Automated target detection can reduce cognitive stress and reduce errors.
For India, which faces conventional and sub-conventional threats on multiple fronts, such systems could enhance border surveillance, strengthen cyber defense and improve counter-terrorism operations through pattern analysis and facial recognition.
Its purpose is not to replace personnel, but to enhance them, to allow soldiers, sailors and pilots to act with clearer insight and greater speed.
From Platform to Intelligent System
India’s defense inventory is still burdened with old platforms and long procurement cycles. But revolutionizing warfare is less about replacing every tank or plane and more about injecting intelligence into what already exists.
Retrofitting aircraft with advanced threat assessment modules, equipping armored vehicles with computer-vision systems, and deploying predictive maintenance tools across the fleet, these upgrades can extend operational life while increasing combat relevance.
Rather than mimic the Cold War modernization timelines, India has an opportunity to compress capacity-building into a shorter window through focused technology investment.
ambition vs inertia
India has indicated its intention. A Defense AI Council has been formed. A Defense AI Project Agency Framework has been released. Funding for innovation has increased. Yet institutional habits persist. The procurement process remains slow. Inter-service rivalry may prevent integration. Risk aversion often outweighs experimentation.
The summit in New Delhi provided a rare opportunity to align India’s thriving civil technology sector with defense needs. The talent pool is strong. Capital is increasing. The strategic environment is pressing. The opportunity to leap forward is there, but it won’t last forever.
Countries that incorporate intelligent systems into their armed forces today will shape the security posture of the next twenty years. For India with volatile borders and maritime ambitions, this is not optional. The code of modern conflict is being written in real time. Whether India becomes one of its major authors or not will depend not on rhetoric but on determination.
