Drone swarming, smart war rooms, real-time monitoring of battle: How the Indian Army plans to integrate AI, Machine Learning and Big Data into its operations
The Indian Army is preparing for a major shift in its functioning. By 2026–27, it intends to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data Analytics in most segments of its operations. From drone operations and battlefield surveillance to combat training and intelligence gathering, the Army is making a systematic plan to utilise these cutting-edge technologies in a more intelligent and organised manner.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the Indian Army seeks to enhance its “battlefield awareness” with the help of AI capabilities that can process enormous volumes of information in a matter of milliseconds. These gadgets comprise AI-driven text summarizers to scan lengthy reports through Large Language Models (LLMs) and provide a summary, AI-driven chatbots able to respond to queries in real time, and voice-to-text to translate voice commands into typed instructions.
The Army will also utilise facial recognition technologies and systems that are able to detect unusual patterns, which might be indicative of a threat. Above that, it is set to collect and examine data streaming in from drones, satellites, aircraft, and sensors on the ground simultaneously. By assembling all this data in real time, commanders will be able to make more timely and precise decisions while out on a mission.
Lessons of Operation Sindoor
The push for this tech transition grew stronger following Operation Sindoor, a cross-border attack conducted in May. The operation to attack terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) saw a lot of drone attacks from both sides. It gave the message that the future of warfare lies in how well you can employ technology, not necessarily weapons, to move quickly and cleverly when things are dangerous.
Task force to lead AI integration
To ensure smooth sailing, the Army is creating a special task force (STF) comprising AI experts to be operated under the Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS). The team will comprise officers from various branches of the Army and will be tasked with implementing these technologies across the board. Their tasks will include training Army personnel, enhancing technical capabilities, facilitating data sharing and integration, and assisting in the routine maintenance of AI systems.
This task force will also assist the Army in employing AI for combat training simulations, supply chain management, intelligence surveillance, and even monitoring open-source content such as social media or news sites. Operations planning, threat detection, mapping enemy weaknesses, and assisting targeting functions will all be performed using AI tools. In areas where GPS is jammed or inoperable, AI systems will assist navigation. Predictive maintenance equipment will also be brought in to ensure Army gear operates without unexpected failures.
To ensure that AI will be a part of the Army’s normal work, there will be new additions to the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs). These are the standards adopted when purchasing any new hardware. From now on, these standards will have AI capabilities as an added element. The Army is also scheduled to install AI capabilities on some of its older hardware and systems wherever it is feasible.
Building for the future
An AI laboratory is also being established at the DGIS, in which new AI models will be created and tested. These will not only be utilised by the Army but will also be integrated with comparable AI tools being developed by the Navy and Air Force, so that all three branches can function in coordination.
To put it simply, the Indian Army’s AI initiative is no longer a concept. It’s becoming a reality with well-defined objectives, definite timelines, and a serious intent to leverage technology for more intelligent and quicker military actions.
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