AI and Cyber Warfare Will Shape Future Battles, Says India's Defence Chief

AI and Cyber Warfare Will Shape Future Battles, Says India’s Defence Chief

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said on Friday that India must adopt modern technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to stay ready for future wars. Speaking at the East Tech Symposium 2025 in Ranchi, he warned that battles ahead will not be limited to land, sea, and air but will also be fought in cyber and space domains.

He stressed that defence manufacturing must keep pace with fast-changing technology. Research and development, he said, should match global trends and geopolitical realities. “AI and innovation will play a decisive role in future battles,” Chauhan noted.

Admitting India was late in building self-reliance in defence production, he said the country is now moving steadily in the right direction. The government, he added, is working to develop indigenous capabilities to face new-age threats.

Linking technology to national policy, the CDS highlighted the Act East Policy, saying eastern states like Jharkhand and West Bengal must play an active role in strengthening the defence ecosystem.

Calling warfare both “a science and an art,” he urged defence experts, technologists, and entrepreneurs to drive innovation so India can compete globally.

The three-day symposium, organised by the Army’s Eastern Command, was opened by Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who said the state’s mineral wealth, including uranium, could boost defence and nuclear development. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth also attended as special guest.

This is the fourth edition of the East Tech Symposium. It was first held in Kolkata in 2022, followed by Guwahati in 2023 and Kolkata again in 2024.