AI at war: Artificial intelligence is reshaping defence strategies

Mint

a day ago

As the global landscape becomes increasingly volatile, from the trenches of Ukraine to the mountainous terrain of Ladakh, and from the conflict zone of Gaza to the standoff in the East over Taiwan, artificial intelligence (AI) has quietly become central to defence strategies around the world. It is no longer just a futuristic promise; AI is actively shaping how nations detect, deter and respond to threats in real-time.
India, which has two next-door nuclear powers and faces persistent cross-border challenges, is embracing AI not just as a technological tool, but as a strategic necessity. From enabling precision strikes to fighting digital propaganda, AI is becoming the silent guardian of national security. It's no longer a question of whether AI should be used in defence, but how intelligently and ethically it can be deployed to safeguard the country.
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The precision of AI-enhanced satellite surveillance: Modern battles begin in space. During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, real-time satellite data, often analyzed through AI, was crucial in guiding military manoeuvres.
Similarly, India demonstrated the operational maturity of AI with Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam attack. By leveraging AI-powered object detection through satellite imagery, Indian defence forces were able to distinguish military targets from civilian structures in terror hubs like Bahawalpur and Muzaffarabad. It resulted in precise strikes with minimal collateral damage, executed with strategic responsibility and in line with international humanitarian standards.
This operation showcased not only technological prowess, but also the moral compass of India's defence machinery. It made a global statement that AI in warfare need not come at the cost of ethics.
India's deployment of drones like Heron and Rustom-2 along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and international border goes beyond aerial surveillance; it's an example of real-time AI deployment. These drones are integrated with models that analyse live video feeds to detect movement or infiltration and launch site formations. This has allowed Indian forces to neutralize threats pre-emptively.
Globally, similar approaches have been used effectively by Israel in Gaza and Ukraine against Russian advances, reaffirming that AI is no longer a tactical experiment, but a critical element of operational defence readiness.
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Digital defences and the challenge of misinformation: Warfare has gone far beyond bullets on a battlefield. Today, narratives can alter global perceptions. During the Ukraine conflict, Western nations employed AI to counteract Russian propaganda. India faced a similar challenge post-Operation Sindoor, when false narratives were seeded by its adversary globally to undermine the justification of its action.
In response, Indian agencies deployed AI models trained in regional languages to monitor platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, apart from vernacular news sites. This proactive approach helped counter misinformation swiftly and strengthen India's diplomatic posture. In a country as linguistically diverse as India, such AI models offer the advantage of allowing for nuanced content moderation and public sentiment analysis.
Modern security threats rarely come from a single direction. The US Indo-Pacific Command exemplifies how to integrate intelligence from satellite, cyber and drone sources with human intel. India has taken significant strides in this direction. By fusing Isro satellite data, drone feeds, ground sensor inputs and open-source social media intelligence, Indian agencies have created real-time operational dashboards.
These dashboards are not just useful in military operations, but also in managing internal security for large-scale public events. This capability was not only instrumental on the border, but also for security at high-stakes national events like the Kumbh Mela, Ayodhya gatherings and elections, where physical and digital threats converge. It's here that AI proves its true worth: as a bridge between intelligence and action.
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India's AI leadership imperative: The lessons of 2025 are clear. AI is not an optional enhancement; it is foundational to modern national security. So far, India has shown the capability to operationalize AI effectively, but the road ahead demands scale, policy backing and strategic foresight.
This is not just a technological shift; it's a paradigm shift in how we perceive and manage threats. As global powers escalate their AI investments in defence, India has an opportunity not just to keep pace with these developments, but to take a lead with defence AI innovation, with projects that combine integrity and purpose.
At Staqu Technologies, we have witnessed first-hand how AI can offer protection and clarity amid chaos. It is time for us to make the most of this technology's potential at a national scale not only to secure our borders, but also to upgrade our security apparatus for the 21st century.
In a world where conflicts evolve faster than ever, India's resolve to build a future-ready AI-powered defence ecosystem could become its most powerful shield.
The author is co-founder, Staqu Technologies.