AI, algorithms to decide future wars, says Rajnath

The battlefield has changed and wars of tomorrow will be fought with algorithms, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence, a demonstration of it was seen in Operation Sindoor, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Drones, anti-drone systems, quantum computing and directed-energy weapons will define the future, he said today while speaking at the ‘Raksha Navachar Samvaad’, an interaction between the Ministry of Defence and startups and innovators.

The minister urged innovators to think beyond existing solutions and develop technologies that redefine warfare. “We must not remain imitators or followers in technology we must become the creators and standard-setters for the world,” he added. Today, more than 650 innovators have emerged and prototypes are being sourced worth Rs 3,000 crore, he said.

Singh encouraged startups to set higher benchmarks, underlining that India has more than 100 unicorns today, but none in the defence sector, calling upon them to change that.

“Let the first defence unicorn of India emerge from among you. It will be a matter of pride not only for you but for the entire nation,” he added.

The minister lauded the collective effort of innovators for contributing to record-breaking achievements in defence production worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore and exports exceeding Rs 23,000 crore in the last financial year.

“You are the architects of a new India that believes in designing, developing and producing for itself. The energy and innovation you bring are key to realising the Prime Minister’s vision of a technologically self-reliant India,” he highlighted.