Executive Summary
The strategic environment of the Indian subcontinent is characterized by a relentless acceleration in the velocity of warfare. Faced with the “intelligentised” military modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) along the India’s Northern frontiers and the persistent, hybrid threats emanating from the Western borders, the Indian Armed Forces have embarked upon a profound transformation. This paradigm shift is defined by the aggressive integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems into the very core of the national defence architecture. From the high-altitude surveillance grids of the Himalayas to the networked maritime domain awareness systems of the Indian Ocean Region, AI is being positioned not merely as a force multiplier but as the central nervous system of future operations. The establishment of high-level bodies such as the Defence AI Council (DAIC) and the Defence AI Project Agency (DAIPA), coupled with the rollout of comprehensive AI roadmaps for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, underscores a decisive move towards algorithmic warfare.
