India’s journey so far on the AI military

Syllabus:

GS : Emerging technology

Why in the News?

Recently, India’s efforts to integrate AI into the military have gained attention, highlighting challenges such as scalability, systemic gaps, inter-industry silos, reliance on PSUs and the need for strategic direction.

India’s journey so far on the AI military

Introduction

  • India is rapidly incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its defense sector with the aim of modernizing military operations.
  • Significant investments and programs have advanced the development of AI-powered self-defense technology.
  • However, to ensure effective, ethical and strategic use of AI in national security, challenges such as fragmented policies, interoperability issues and trust in state agencies must be overcome.

India’s progress in military AI

  • India is actively incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its military operations to keep pace with global trends.
  • The country’s defense budget for 2023-24 was ₹6.21 lakh crore ($75 billion), with a focus on modernization and technological upgrades.

A-based defense system development

  • India has introduced AI-powered defense systems such as Indrajal, an autonomous drone defense system designed to protect against airborne threats.
  • The Army is exploring the use of AI across platforms to improve operational efficiency.

Foreign investment in AI systems

  • India is attracting huge global investments in AI and data infrastructure.
  • Microsoft has committed nearly $3 billion to set up data centers in Telangana by boosting India’s AI ecosystem.

Strategic AI Extensions

  • India’s AI integration aims to strengthen national security while addressing ethical concerns surrounding the use of military AI.
  • As the global use of AI in defense accelerates, India continues to make strides in this area.

Adoption of AI in India’s Defense: Progress and Challenge

  • India is actively incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its defense sector to modernize military operations.
  • Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the revolutionary role of AI that can transform warfare through predictive analytics and decision-making capabilities.
  • Moreover, India participates in many international collaborations focused on AI development.
  • These projects underscore the country’s commitment to using AI for national security.
  • While significant progress has been made, a number of challenges need to be addressed to ensure a seamless transition to AI-powered security devices.

Challenges in the adoption of AI

Limited availability of digital data

  • AI systems require large amounts of data for training and decision making.
  • However, India’s defense sector lacks sufficient digitized data, hindering the development of advanced AI models.
  • Without the right data, the accuracy and efficiency of AI-driven military machines remains at risk.

High cost of AI systems

  • Building and maintaining AI-powered security systems requires expensive resources, especially data centers.
  • Massive amounts of computing power are required to run AI algorithms and store vast amounts of military data, making AI integration costly.
  • Moreover, India’s defense budget has already expanded as the military focuses on replacing obsolete systems, such as aging aircraft and legacy equipment, Allocation of resources for AI while balancing the of existing modern efforts is economically challenging.

Fragmented AI systems

  • India has developed initiatives such as the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which outlines its vision for the use of AI.
  • However, these programs lack clear guidelines for implementation, leading to gaps in implementation.
  • Similarly, the Accountable AI Framework for All emphasizes transparency and accountability in the use of AI.
  • However, it doesn’t specifically address military AI applications, creating governance and regulatory uncertainty.

Strong regulatory framework is needed

  • To ensure appropriate use of AI in defence, India has created organizations like Defense Artificial Intelligence Council (DAIC) and Defense AI Project Agency (DAIPA).
  • These organizations aim to oversee the integration of AI into military operations.
  • However, the public hasn’t received any feedback on their system recently, which has raised concerns about the effectiveness of AI’s rule in combat.

Global advances in military AI

  • Countries around the world are accelerating efforts to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their military systems.
  • Countries like Israel and China are leading the way in AI-powered military technology, rapidly implementing advanced systems.
  • To keep pace with India’s global military progress, it needs to strengthen its AI infrastructure.

India’s position in AI development

  • While India is making progress, it still does not have a clear path to adopting military AI.
  • There is contradiction within the government about the role of AI in the security sector.
  • Rapid and well-organized deployment is needed to compete in global AI innovation.

Anxiety and mistrust about AI

  • Some leaders have expressed concern about the potential dangers of AI, comparing its impact to nuclear weapons.
  • Foreign Minister has warned of the dangers of AI, comparing it to nuclear bombs in terms of global security threats.
  • This highlights the government’s cautious approach to AI.

Prime Minister’s views on AI

  • At the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) 2023, the Prime Minister urged caution in adopting AI.
  • He emphasized the need to carefully assess the risks and ethical concerns of AI before its full implementation.
  • While AI is recognized as a key technology of the future, there is still a need for clear guidelines on how to use it in the military.

Challenges in the adoption of Indian military AI

Lack of unified armed forces

  • Indian Army, Navy and Air Force operate using different principles, policies and communication strategies.
  • This lack of interoperability makes it difficult to effectively integrate AI across branches.
  • Collaborative efforts are essential for smooth and joint communication based on AA.

Excess reliance on Public Sector Units (PSUs)

  • For decades, India’s defense sector has relied heavily on PSUs for equipment and technology.
  • A common misconception is that only public companies develop defense tools, while many private organizations and startups develop high-end AI-based systems
  • Relying solely on PSUs can slow down innovation and stifle competition.

Importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs)

  • AI development can be enhanced by encouraging collaboration between government and private organizations.
  • Private enterprise has already led to significant growth in the aerospace industry.
  • Similar reforms in the defense sector could also help India develop and deploy cutting-edge AI technologies at scale.

Need for strong policies and procedures

  • To maximize the potential of AI, India needs clear policies on implementation, safety and ethical issues.
  • Establishing standardized guidelines will help facilitate the use of AI in the military.

Conclusion

India’s adoption of military AI shows promises but requires clear policy, inter-industry integration and public-private partnerships. Unified guidelines and robust frameworks will ensure efficient, ethical and rapid deployment of AI in security.

Source:The Hindu

Mains Practice Question:

Examine the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in developing India’s AI-driven defence capabilities, How can India overcome institutional and policy barriers to drive innovation in military AI on the right?