Integrating Intelligence for AI Driven Defence in India

Integrating Intelligence for AI Driven Defence in India

Why in News?

India is witnessing a strategic shift in the way national defence is approached—moving from traditional hard warfare to intelligence-centric, AI-powered, real-time decision-making. A detailed piece by Tanmoy Chakrabarty and Vanshita Garg underscores how an integrated intelligence backbone is imperative for India to operationalize AI/ML in defence. This shift not only secures India’s borders but also positions it as a strategic global partner and technological peer in the international security landscape.

Introduction

Modern warfare has evolved. In today’s geopolitical environment, hard power alone no longer guarantees national security. The real arsenal lies in real-time data, AI-powered analytics, and integrated intelligence systems. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are being aggressively adopted in modern defence systems to automate responses, boost surveillance, enhance threat detection, and ultimately safeguard national interests. But in India’s case, the AI revolution in defence still struggles under the weight of siloed data and disjointed intelligence infrastructure.

This article delves deep into the necessity of an integrated intelligence backbone for India’s defence, especially in the context of AI/ML-driven strategies. It highlights the strategic significance of India moving from data collection to decision-making, thereby leveraging technology for national defence and international collaborations.

India’s AI-Driven Intelligence Challenge

India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence is clear, as seen in its ₹6 lakh crore defence budget for FY 2025. With a substantial portion earmarked for indigenous AI/ML defence technologies, the push is aggressive. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) are pioneering in this space with the development of swarm drones, predictive AI-based systems, and tactical edge devices for real-time threat detection and combat decisions.

However, a critical gap remains—India’s intelligence network is largely fragmented. A considerable portion of intelligence comes from open-source data, lacking the security and accuracy of classified information. The raw data, unprocessed and uncorrelated, doesn’t convert into strategic insights unless analysed within a secure, real-time framework.

This fragmented data ecosystem slows down India’s AI-based responses and weakens its readiness in the face of modern threats. Furthermore, intelligence gathered from diverse sources—classified military data, civilian reports, and open-source feeds—are not synchronised. This severely hampers actionable AI capabilities and reduces the strategic impact of India’s defence ecosystem.

Need for an Integrated Intelligence System

A true AI-driven ecosystem in defence cannot succeed without an integrated data processing system. The authors argue that India needs a comprehensive and secure platform to bring together all sources of intelligence—ranging from field sensors, satellites, drones, battlefield data, and cyber signals—into one unified system.

Such a platform would serve multiple purposes:

1. Real-time threat analysis: Enabling prompt military responses.

2. Predictive insights: Anticipating and neutralising potential threats.

3. Tactical advantage: Providing battlefield superiority via AI-backed automation.

4. Global collaboration: Sharing intelligence securely with allied nations.

This platform must be governed under stringent cybersecurity policies, ensuring that real-time and classified intelligence is protected from breaches and misuse. It would serve as a single-point decision-making aid to military commanders and policymakers, bringing India’s AI defence ambitions into real operational deployment.

Strategic Global Partnerships: A New Era of Alliances

As India continues to grow in technological capability, it must also reshape its international defence alliances. With countries like the US and France, India is shifting from being a buyer of technology to a co-developer and strategic collaborator. India’s geopolitical importance and strategic location make it a valuable partner in global security architecture.

A well-integrated intelligence system would not only elevate India’s strategic role but also attract partnerships from technologically advanced nations. These nations seek interoperability and shared defence goals, especially in an era of cyber and AI-based warfare. For example, real-time intelligence sharing between India and its allies could improve surveillance over Indo-Pacific territories and bolster collective security operations.

Building India’s Strategic Advantage

Overcoming the limitations of its intelligence system can allow India to:

• Secure defence manufacturing supply chains.

• Reduce dependency on imports.

• Predict enemy actions with greater accuracy.

• Ensure quick deployment of military assets during emergencies.

By incorporating AI/ML within a seamless framework, India also enhances its capability in predictive maintenance of aircraft, missile launches, drone operations, and cross-border surveillance. A national strategic architecture with a “sensor-to-shooter” capability—meaning a system that can sense a threat and trigger a response autonomously—is essential for future warfare. This would require a high-level apex body to oversee integration, enforce data-sharing protocols, and streamline decision-making.

Policy, PPPs, and Industry Collaboration

The article highlights several institutional and policy frameworks necessary for achieving this goal:

• Unified National Vision: A dedicated apex national body to ensure intelligence fusion.

• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): To leverage industry innovation and scale-up applications faster.

• Targeted Investment: Fund and encourage R&D in defence AI applications.

• Skilled Workforce Development: Building a talent pool that understands both defence protocols and AI analytics.

Through initiatives like the Strategic Technology Board and the AI Task Force, the government has started aligning its policy framework. Yet, a comprehensive nationwide rollout of AI-integrated intelligence will require robust regulatory backing, secure data networks, and a military-industrial partnership.

The Way Forward: Strategic Autonomy through AI

As India prepares for a complex security future, it must see AI not as a stand-alone technology but as a force multiplier. The fusion of intelligence—from satellites to human reports—needs to happen through automated AI pipelines. Strategic autonomy can only be achieved when decision-making becomes timely, accurate, and rooted in real-time insights.

To conclude, AI and ML offer India a golden opportunity to leapfrog its defence capabilities and move beyond just securing borders. It can assert itself as a dependable security partner on the global stage. For this, an integrated intelligence backbone is not just a technological need but a strategic imperative.

Q&A Section

1. Why is AI/ML integration crucial for India’s defence ecosystem?
AI/ML can automate threat detection, enhance real-time decision-making, and improve the precision of combat operations. With India aiming to modernise its defence sector, integrating AI allows for predictive maintenance, autonomous weapons control, and intelligence processing—essential features in modern warfare.

2. What challenges exist in India’s current intelligence network?
India relies heavily on open-source data, which lacks accuracy and depth. Intelligence is fragmented, with no unified platform to connect data from satellites, sensors, field reports, and cyberspace. This disjointed approach limits India’s ability to produce actionable insights and affects real-time strategic responses.

3. How does an integrated intelligence system benefit global partnerships?
A unified intelligence backbone facilitates secure data-sharing, joint military exercises, and coordinated defence strategies. It strengthens India’s role as a technological peer and reliable partner for countries like the US, France, and Australia, thereby increasing India’s influence in global security alliances.

4. What institutional changes are required to implement this intelligence architecture?
India needs a dedicated national apex body for AI/ML defence coordination. This institution should oversee cross-agency collaboration, cybersecurity enforcement, and industry partnerships. Policies must encourage PPPs, targeted investments, and R&D to build a robust and secure infrastructure.

5. What long-term advantages does India gain from this AI-based transformation?
Strategically, India will gain autonomy over its defence decisions, reduce reliance on imports, and establish itself as a tech leader in security systems. Economically, it will boost domestic defence manufacturing. Geopolitically, it will strengthen alliances and deter threats with faster, smarter responses.

Conclusion

India’s defence future lies not in firepower alone but in how intelligently and efficiently it can respond to threats. An integrated AI-powered intelligence system will define this future. With the right infrastructure, policy support, and international cooperation, India can transform from a major importer to a major innovator in global defence. This is not just a shift in strategy—it is a fundamental change in how India perceives, prepares for, and participates in modern warfare.