Dr Samir V Kamat

Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, has been instrumental in integrating AI into India’s defence ecosystem. He co-launched the Evaluating Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (ETAI) Framework and Guidelines for the Armed Forces on October 17, 2024 alongside the Chief of Defence Staff. The framework focuses on five broad principles: reliability and robustness, safety and security, transparency, fairness, and privacy. 

Under his leadership, DRDO’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) developed the Prajna system—an AI-powered satellite imaging and analytics platform—and handed it over to the Ministry of Home Affairs for counter-terrorism and border surveillance operations. He has also driven collaborations with academic institutions to develop AI-based cyber intrusion detection tools to protect critical infrastructure. Most recently, he unveiled Advanced Armoured Platforms with plans to integrate advanced AI features into the next phase of development for the Indian Army.

“AI is playing an increasing role in offensive action. It is a technology which is going to make a big difference not only in improving the performance of the military but also in its efficiency,” he said during the launch of ETAI.