Coded Commanders: Artificial Intelligence As The New General

By Nishakant Ojha

Warfare is no longer confined to trenches, tanks, and territorial lines. The battlefield of the twenty-first century has shifted to codes, algorithms, satellites, and quantum signals. In this new age, decisions are not just taken by generals in command rooms but also by machine learning systems parsing terabytes of real-time data. The United States and China have embraced this transformation with clarity and urgency, pouring unprecedented resources into artificial intelligence, cyber dominance, quantum networks, and unmanned systems. For India, a nation with strategic imperatives across two hostile borders and maritime vulnerabilities, the urgency is far greater. The question is not whether India should modernize but whether it can do so fast enough to ensure survival in wars where the first shots may be fired in cyberspace or space, not on land.

Algorithms At War: How AI Is Rewriting Command And Control

Artificial intelligence has become the defining marker of military modernisation. The United States leads in the integration of AI into its command and control systems, combining battlefield simulations with predictive analytics to give commanders decision superiority. In war-gaming scenarios, American forces rely on AI to identify enemy vulnerabilities, optimise troop movements, and execute precision strikes with minimal human latency. AI-driven ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) is already a reality in the Pentagon’s doctrine, where unmanned systems feed vast amounts of battlefield data into real-time decision networks.

China, meanwhile, is aggressively pursuing what it calls “intelligentised warfare.” Beijing has directed enormous resources into AI-driven war-gaming, electronic warfare, and predictive decision-making systems. Chinese companies, operating in close synergy with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), are designing AI tools for faster battlefield simulations, autonomous targeting, and even psychological operations powered by big data profiling. China’s approach is systemic, linking civilian research institutions with military applications in a model of state-directed innovation that accelerates military readiness.

India, though making strides through defence startups and research agencies, is still at the early stages of AI integration. Initiatives like AI-based battlefield management systems, predictive logistics, and indigenous drone platforms are promising. Yet the scale remains modest compared to the U.S. and China. Bureaucratic hurdles, lack of seamless data sharing between services, and a fragmented ecosystem of research and defence industry limit India’s ability to operationalise AI at a decisive scale. The danger is that while India builds pilots and prototypes, adversaries are already deploying AI in live conflict scenarios.

Invisible Battlefields: The Cyber Domain As The New Frontline

If AI is the brain of future warfare, cyber is its bloodstream. The United States commands perhaps the most mature offensive cyber capability in the world, with U.S. Cyber Command operating as a fully-fledged warfighting unit. From disrupting ISIS propaganda networks to launching precision cyber strikes on adversarial infrastructure, the U.S. has demonstrated that cyber power can substitute or supplement conventional military campaigns. Its doctrine of “persistent engagement” ensures that adversaries are always on the defensive, never secure in their digital networks.

China, in contrast, has perfected the art of cyber-enabled espionage and long-term infiltration. From the theft of intellectual property to the sabotage of strategic networks, Chinese cyber units have shown skill in operating below the threshold of open warfare. Beijing uses cyber tools as both a strategic equaliser and an enabler of hybrid warfare, penetrating supply chains, financial systems, and critical infrastructure of rivals. The Chinese state’s close ties with its technology giants give it both reach and plausible deniability in global cyber operations.

India’s cyber posture, though evolving, remains predominantly defensive. The creation of the Defence Cyber Agency and increased focus on protecting critical infrastructure are steps in the right direction. But India still lacks a clearly articulated offensive cyber doctrine. Without credible offensive capacity, deterrence in cyberspace is weak. Adversaries perceive India as a soft target for asymmetric attacks, whether through ransomware, espionage, or sabotage. To secure its position, India must invest not just in firewalls but in the capacity to strike back decisively in cyberspace.

Quantum Dawn: The Race To Secure The Unseen

Quantum technology represents the next seismic shift in warfare, promising secure communication, ultra-fast computing, and unprecedented decryption capabilities. The United States has taken significant strides in quantum computing and encryption, particularly in military-grade applications aimed at securing command networks and disrupting enemy cryptography.

China, however, is arguably ahead in this field. With its successful demonstration of satellite-based quantum communication, Beijing has established itself as a leader in secure communication networks that are resistant to interception. Its investment in quantum radar, capable of detecting stealth aircraft, underscores the disruptive potential of this technology. In the quantum race, China’s blend of state direction, academic research, and military application is creating a formidable edge.

India has begun its journey, with ISRO experimenting with quantum key distribution and several research projects under the National Mission on Quantum Technologies. Yet, these remain early-stage efforts. India must bridge the gap between laboratory research and military deployment, or risk falling irreversibly behind. Quantum technology is not a distant frontier; it is a race already underway. The winners will control the most secure communications and potentially render traditional stealth and encryption obsolete.

Beyond Gravity: Militarisation Of Space And Multi-Domain Convergence

The future battlefield is no longer confined to land, sea, and air—it now extends into outer space. The United States has institutionalised its space dominance through the establishment of the U.S. Space Force, focusing on satellite swarms, orbital surveillance, and counter-space weapons. The ability to dominate the orbital layer provides the U.S. unmatched intelligence, communication, and navigation superiority.

China, too, has invested heavily in counter-space capabilities. Its successful tests of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, development of satellite-killer systems, and integration of space warfare into its strategic doctrine indicate a clear ambition: to deny adversaries the use of space while ensuring its own freedom of action. Beijing views space not as a supporting domain but as a decisive one.

India demonstrated its ASAT capability in 2019 through Mission Shakti, a milestone achievement. However, India’s space militarisation remains reactive rather than proactive. While ISRO’s technological prowess is undeniable, translating this into military-grade space dominance is still an unfinished agenda. Without deeper integration of space assets into tri-service operations, India risks lagging in a domain that may determine the tempo of future wars.

Hypersonics, Unmanned Systems, And The Future Arsenal

Hypersonic weapons and unmanned systems represent the sharp edge of next-generation arsenals. The United States has advanced programmes in hypersonic glide vehicles and missile defence systems capable of intercepting them. Its use of unmanned aerial systems in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond demonstrates both maturity and operational dominance in drone warfare.

China has already tested hypersonic glide vehicles, reportedly achieving manoeuvrability and speeds that alarmed Pentagon analysts. Its focus on unmanned stealth combat platforms and drone swarms signals a strategy aimed at overwhelming adversaries with speed and quantity.

India is developing hypersonic technology in collaboration with Russia through the BrahMos-II project, and indigenous drone capabilities are expanding through startups and defence initiatives. However, the scale and pace remain modest compared to the U.S. and China. Without sustained investment and ecosystem support, India risks staying on the margins of the hypersonic and unmanned revolution.

India’s Ascent: Promise Amidst The Paradox

Despite these challenges, India is not without promise. The Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative has galvanised indigenous defence R&D, fostering a new generation of startups and innovators. Collaborations with France, Israel, and the U.S. are enhancing India’s technological ecosystem, particularly in drones, sensors, and AI-driven systems. India’s demonstrated ASAT capability, growing cyber command structures, and expanding AI research are significant achievements.

Yet, India’s paradox remains: ambition without full-scale integration. Budgetary limitations, bureaucratic inertia, and siloed functioning of the tri-services impede the transformation. Unlike the U.S. with its unified command structures or China with its state-driven civil-military fusion, India struggles with fragmented execution. The danger is not the absence of vision but the inability to operationalise it at scale and speed.

The War Of Tomorrow: A Glimpse Into The Converging Future

The battlefield of tomorrow will not be a linear clash of armies but a converging storm of technologies. AI will drive real-time decision-making, quantum systems will secure communications, cyber operations will paralyse enemy infrastructure, space assets will control orbital dominance, and hypersonic weapons will compress decision timelines to seconds. The victor will be the nation that integrates these domains seamlessly, achieving decision superiority before the adversary can even respond.

For India, this means making bold choices. Incremental progress will no longer suffice. The wars of tomorrow will be algorithmic, unmanned, and multidomain. A military that lacks AI-driven command networks or quantum-secured communications risks paralysis. A state without offensive cyber capabilities risks humiliation without a single bullet fired. India must therefore prioritise disruptive innovation, accelerate civil-military integration, and invest not just in catching up but in leapfrogging where possible.

From Catch-Up To Leadership: India’s Strategic Imperative

India stands at a crossroads. The choice is stark: remain a reactive power that struggles to match adversaries’ innovations, or transform into a proactive power capable of shaping the rules of next-generation warfare. The stakes are existential, for wars in this new era are not merely about territory but about national survival, economic security, and geopolitical relevance.

The United States and China are already scripting the doctrines of algorithmic wars. For India, the task is not simply to avoid falling behind but to create a distinct path that leverages its democratic innovation, technological talent, and strategic geography. The journey will be difficult, but the imperative is clear: in an age where wars are won before the first shot is fired, India must move from catch-up to leadership—or risk becoming a spectator in the wars that will define the twenty-first century.

(Authored by- Prof. Dr. Nishakant Ojha, a leading strategist in defence and national security, is globally recognized for his expertise in AI, cyber warfare, and quantum defence. Trusted advisor to governments, he dissects modern battlefields with rare clarity, positioning India’s security discourse against China, the United States, and emerging threats.)

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