Drone swarming to smarter war rooms: Army's AI roadmap for ops by 2026-27

Indian Express

7 days ago

From coordinated drone missions (or drone swarming) and real-time battlefield monitoring to combat simulations for troop training, information warfare, and data-backed decision-making — the Indian Army is learnt to have drawn up a detailed roadmap identifying key areas where it plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data Analytics by 2026–27.
According to sources, one of the immediate priorities is to improve battlefield awareness using AI tools that can process large volumes of information quickly. These include text summarisers built on Large Language Models (LLMs) to scan and condense long reports, AI-powered chatbots, voice-to-text systems, facial recognition, and tools that can detect unusual patterns or threats. AI will also be used to analyse feeds from drones, satellites, aircraft and ground sensors, and fuse this data in real time to support faster, more informed decision-making.
Although the use of AI has been discussed by the Army in the past, it is now being fast-tracked, in the wake of lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor — the Army's cross-border operation in May targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
As part of this push, an AI task force under the Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS), with representatives from other Army directorates, will soon be set up to oversee the implementation of niche technologies across the force. This will include areas such as training and capacity building, data sharing, maintenance and support, integration, promoting research and development, and incorporating these technologies into procurement processes.
Sources said the roadmap — which sets specific tactical, operational and strategic goals to be met by 2026–27 — includes deploying AI across a wide range of functions, including decision support systems that can generate counter-intelligence, enhance surveillance, manage logistics and supply chains, analyse Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and social media, map adversary capabilities, and run wargaming simulations.
These technologies will also be used for better positioning and targeting of equipment, predictive maintenance, and AI-based navigation in environments where GPS access is denied. Decision support systems will further assist in operational planning and threat detection.
To support long-term integration, AI features will be embedded in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements — the technical specifications for all new equipment being procured. The Army also plans to explore retrofitting select AI capabilities into legacy equipment, sources said.
An AI lab is being set up at DGIS to develop and test models, which will also be integrated with AI applications being developed by the Navy and the Air Force. Additionally, the Army is pushing for greater collaboration with industry and academia to advance research in this space.