India makes big move in AI, Rajnath Singh to launch 75 AI-powered defence products today
11 July, 2022 | Riya Girdhar
In a statement about the event, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar stated that 75 newly developed AI products/technologies with defence applications will be launched as part of the celebrations marking t...
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will launch 75 AI-powered defence products today in New Delhi at the first-ever ‘Artificial Intelligence in Defence’ symposium and exhibition organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Department of Defence Production.
The event will include an exhibition showcasing cutting-edge AI-enabled solutions developed by services, research organisations, industry, start-ups, and innovators, as well as the market launch of AI products.
In a statement about the event, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar stated that 75 newly developed AI products/technologies with defence applications will be launched as part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ and to promote the ‘Aatmanirbharta’ initiative in Defense.
The nature of modern warfare is changing, and artificial intelligence (AI) will play a significant role in warfare, he said, adding that these products are being tested and will soon be deployed for the nation’s safety and security.
According to sources, he went on to say that the products are in the domains of automation/unmanned/robotics systems, cyber security, human behaviour analysis, intelligent monitoring system, logistics and supply chain management, speech/voice analysis, Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, and operational data analytics.
He added that, in addition to the 75 products that have been launched, another 100 are in various stages of development.
During the event, two top defence exporters will be honoured, one from the public and one from the private sectors.
Panel discussions on ‘Deploying AI in Defence,’ ‘GenNext AI solutions,’ and ‘AI in Defence – Industry Perspective’ will also take place at the event, with active participation from the Services, academia, students, and research organisations, as well as industry.
Dignitaries from friendly foreign countries, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and other Ministries of the Government of India, and representatives from research institutes, academia, and industry are expected to attend.
In 2018, the Union government established an AI task force on Defence to develop a strategy for promoting AI in defence.