Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been a strong advocate for integrating artificial intelligence into the country’s defence ecosystem. At the first-ever ‘AI in Defence’ (AIDef) symposium held on July 11, 2022, he announced 75 newly-developed AI products and technologies, describing AI as a “revolutionary step in the development of humanity”.

He asserted that advanced weapons and systems are increasingly being developed with AI applications, particularly in remotely piloted and unmanned aerial vehicles, and called for a gradual transition towards fully autonomous weapon systems. 

Following Operation Sindoor, he stressed, “There is a need to increase investments in areas like AI and autonomous systems, which will define the future of warfare. The government is ready to provide all necessary support. The wars of tomorrow will be fought with algorithms, autonomous systems and AI. Drones, anti-drone systems, quantum computing and directed-energy weapons will define the future.”

He launched the iDEX programme, which has since produced 650+ winners and facilitated over ₹3,000 crore in prototype procurements. Many of these innovations are centred on AI-driven defence applications, including satellite image analysis, RF spectrum management, and friend-or-foe identification systems.