AI-Driven Warfare: Challenges and Opportunities for India's National Security
Syllabus Mapping: GS-3: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security; Science and Technology—developments and their applications.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining warfare by shifting military advantage from physical platforms (tanks, aircraft, ships) to algorithms, data and autonomous systems. Conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine War and Israel–Hamas conflict have demonstrated that future wars will increasingly be characterised by intelligent decision-making, autonomous weapons and algorithmic superiority, making AI a critical determinant of national power.
How AI is Transforming the Character of Warfare?
- Algorithmic Superiority: Military superiority is increasingly determined by algorithms, computing power and data intelligence rather than the size or sophistication of conventional platforms. Eg: AI-enabled targeting systems in the Russia–Ukraine war enhanced precision despite limited conventional assets.
- Autonomous Warfare: AI is enabling autonomous drones, loitering munitions, unmanned ground vehicles and maritime systems capable of surveillance, target acquisition and precision strikes with minimal human intervention. Eg: Extensive deployment of FPV drones and AI-assisted loitering munitions in Ukraine.
- Decision-Centric and Faster Warfare: AI processes battlefield intelligence in real time, shortening the Observe–Orient–Decide–Act (OODA) loop and enabling commanders to take faster and more accurate decisions.
- Multi-Domain Operations: AI seamlessly integrates land, air, sea, space and cyber operations, creating a unified battlespace with real-time coordination across domains.
- Predictive Warfare: AI enables predictive analytics for target identification, logistics optimisation and predictive maintenance, improving operational efficiency while minimising collateral damage.
- Cognitive Warfare: AI has expanded warfare beyond the physical battlefield into the information domain through deepfakes, disinformation, psychological operations and cyber influence campaigns. Eg: AI-generated deepfakes and misinformation during the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
Implications for India’s National Security
- Technological Asymmetry with Adversaries: China’s rapid military AI integration and Pakistan’s growing use of autonomous systems could widen India’s capability gap, necessitating accelerated defence modernisation. Eg: China’s Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan (2017) aims to make the PLA a world-class “intelligentised” force by 2049.
- Enhanced Border Surveillance and Situational Awareness: AI can transform monitoring across the LAC and LoC through autonomous ISR, satellite analytics and predictive threat detection. Eg: AI-enabled drones, satellite imagery and sensor fusion for real-time surveillance.
- Rising Threat of Autonomous and Drone Warfare: Low-cost AI-enabled drones and swarm technologies can target military installations and critical infrastructure, challenging conventional air defence systems.
- 4. Strategic Deterrence and Military Modernisation: AI will become a decisive factor in conventional deterrence, precision strike capability and multi-domain operations, making technological superiority a key determinant of military power. Eg: The Chief of Defence Staff has emphasised AI, cyber and space as pillars of future warfare.
- Transformation of Military Decision-Making: AI enhances command-and-control systems through real-time intelligence fusion, predictive analytics and faster operational planning, improving combat effectiveness. Eg: AI-assisted Battlefield Management Systems (BMS) and decision-support platforms.
- Opportunity for Defence Industrial Transformation: AI can catalyse indigenous defence manufacturing, dual-use innovation and civil-military technology partnerships, strengthening strategic autonomy. Eg: iDEX, ADITI, Defence AI Council (DAIC) and the India Semiconductor Mission.
Challenges in Building AI-Enabled Defence Capabilities
- Technological Dependence: India remains dependent on foreign AI chips, GPUs, sensors, advanced semiconductors and defence electronics, limiting strategic autonomy in AI warfare.
- Fragmented Defence AI Ecosystem: Limited coordination among DRDO, Services, DPSUs, startups, academia and private industry slows AI innovation and deployment.
- Data and Computing Infrastructure Deficit: AI-enabled warfare requires secure military datasets, cloud infrastructure and High-Performance Computing (HPC), areas where India is still developing capabilities.
- Human Capital and Doctrinal Gap: The armed forces require AI-skilled personnel, specialised military doctrines and organisational adaptation to effectively integrate AI into joint operations.
Measures to Build AI-Enabled Defence Capabilities
- Formulate a National Defence AI Strategy: Develop a unified AI roadmap integrating the Army, Navy, Air Force, DRDO, DPSUs, startups and academia to ensure joint capability development.
- Accelerate Indigenous AI and Semiconductor Ecosystem: Promote indigenous development of AI chips, defence electronics, autonomous platforms and secure hardware to reduce import dependence. Eg: India Semiconductor Mission
- Build Secure Defence Data Infrastructure: Develop interoperable military data platforms, secure cloud infrastructure and indigenous Large Language Models (LLMs) for defence applications.
- Strengthen Defence Innovation Ecosystem: Expand collaboration among DRDO, iDEX, ADITI, startups, MSMEs and academia for rapid development and deployment of AI-enabled defence technologies.
PRELIMS BOOSTERS
Direct Seeded Rice (DSR)
- Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) is a rice cultivation technique in which seeds are sown directly into the field without raising a nursery or transplanting seedlings.
- Eliminates puddling (flooding + repeated tillage), thereby saving water, labour and cultivation cost.
- Suitable for water-scarce regions and years of deficient monsoon/El Niño.
- Can reduce water use by 30–35% and significantly lower labour requirements.
- DSR fields require good weed management, as the absence of standing water promotes weed growth.
- Common weed control involves herbicides such as Imazethapyr, along with Herbicide-Tolerant (HT) rice varieties.
- HT rice varieties like Pusa Basmati-1979 and Pusa Basmati-1985 were developed by ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi through non-GM induced mutation breeding.
- These varieties possess a mutated ALS (Acetolactate Synthase) gene, making them tolerant to Imazethapyr herbicide while weeds are eliminated.
- DSR is not genetically modified (GM) technology; the herbicide-tolerant trait has been developed through mutation breeding, not transgenic methods.
- ICAR–IARI (Pusa Institute) is India’s premier agricultural research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Gaganyaan Mission
- Gaganyaan is ISRO’s first human spaceflight mission, aiming to send a 3-member Indian crew to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (~400 km) for about 3 days and safely recover them.
- SOLVE (Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments) is a solid motor-based test platform developed by ISRO to validate the crew module parachute and deceleration system for Gaganyaan.
- The first ground test of SOLVE was successfully conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.
- SOLVE is derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor with modifications such as slow-burn propellant and Secondary Injection Thrust Vector Control (SITVC).
- During test missions, the crew module will be carried to 10–17 km altitude, separated from the vehicle and recovered using a 10-parachute system before sea splashdown.
- Other recent Gaganyaan milestones include the Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) and Mission MITRA (Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment) for astronaut preparedness.
- Launch Vehicle: Human-rated LVM3 (HLVM3).
- The mission aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability, including crew safety, orbital operations and recovery, making India the 4th country to independently achieve human spaceflight capability after Russia, the USA and China.
Synthetic Cell
- Researchers at the University of Minnesota (USA) have developed a synthetic cell capable of growth, DNA replication and autonomous division.
- The cell is built using a liposome (artificial lipid membrane) containing the PURE protein synthesis system, enabling essential cellular functions.
- It carries a minimal synthetic genome (~90,000 base pairs) and replicates DNA using Phi29 DNA polymerase.
- Unlike earlier artificial cells, it can grow by absorbing nutrients and divide into daughter cells through a biologically engineered mechanism.
- Researchers demonstrated Darwinian evolution, with beneficial mutations enabling faster growth and reproduction.
- The breakthrough advances Synthetic Biology and has potential applications in drug discovery, biotechnology, artificial cells and understanding the origin of life.
