‘No force can survive without the use of artificial intelligence’: CDS Subramani on why commanders must have the final say in modern warfare | Today’s news

Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani has highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence, resilient networks and integrated military systems in future warfare, saying modern militaries will increasingly operate as a “system of systems” while commanders retain control over critical decisions.

Speaking at the Defense Tech Summit organized by the Center for Emerging Technologies at the United Service Institution of India (USI), Subramani said that warfare is moving beyond individual platforms and capabilities towards greater integration across domains.

“Today, it’s not about individual platforms, individual services or individual capabilities. It’s about a systemic approach,” CDS said.

He said multi-domain operations are not just about conducting operations across multiple domains, but about using capabilities from different domains to create effects faster than an adversary can understand and react.

“All the assets have to communicate in near real time and be able to share data. They also have to get that data to the commander in real time and allow him to make decisions based on which effects can be created,” Subramani said.

Why resilient networks will be critical

CDS said reliable communications networks capable of operating in contested environments will be essential for future military operations.

“Reliable networks that can survive in an electronically contested environment are a must,” he said, adding that they could include space-based networks, fiber-optic networks, Wi-Fi, radio and software-defined radio networks.

He also emphasized the need to protect military sensors, networks, computing infrastructure and data.

“Sustainability and resilience today means keeping our sensors, keeping our networks, making sure our computers are protected and making sure our data isn’t poisoned,” he said.

Subramani said AI will become indispensable to modern militaries, but emphasized that it should support rather than replace commanders in critical decision-making.

“No force can survive without the use of artificial intelligence. But at the same time, we have to be clear that the decision has to be made by the commander. It’s not enough to just have data. It’s not enough to just have machine learning. You want experts to train that data,” he said.

CDS said the armed forces will need safeguards when deploying AI for military applications.

“We need to understand and use AI for the purposes it is intended to be used for, while providing adequate safeguards and ensuring that the ultimate decision is left to the commander,” he said.

AI must work even when communication is denied

CDS also emphasized the need to deploy AI centrally as well as at the tactical edge, allowing military units to continue to use AI capabilities even when communications with higher command are disrupted.

“We need to have both AI at the center and AI at the edge so that it can work in a communication-denied environment,” he said.

Digital twins could accelerate defense development

Subramani pointed to digital engineering and digital twins as tools that could help the armed forces develop, test and improve military systems more quickly.

“Digital engineering gives us a way out. We can model the physical world digitally, look at how it can be connected, how it can be simulated, and look at its reliability,” he said.

“Digital engineering and digital twins allow us to quickly learn, evolve, iterate and improve. I think this is the way forward as far as we’re concerned.”

He said digital twins should be used throughout the life cycle of military platforms rather than just as alternatives to physical models. “If we have a digital twin of the aircraft, we can simulate and model it throughout its life cycle,” he said.

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CDS said future warfare could increasingly focus on disrupting an adversary’s ability to operate by targeting its networks, data and decision-making systems.

“You don’t necessarily have to destroy a physical system to deprive an organization of its ability to function. If you can deprive it of its networks, its data, or its ability to sense, understand, and make decisions, you’ve automatically disrupted the cohesion of that organization.”

Technology alone will not decide future wars

Subramani said that being first to acquire advanced technology would not necessarily determine the outcome of future conflicts. The ability to adapt and learn quickly would be critical, he said.

“It’s not the power that gets the technology first that wins. It’s the power that can adapt, learn quickly and use that technology and reinvent itself based on the technology it has,” he said.

He said India already has a generation of technically capable officers willing to experiment, adapt and collaborate with industry and academia.

“India is already there, but we need to accelerate,” he said.

Defense Industry CDS, “Volume, Range and Speed”

For India’s defense industry, CDS has identified three priorities – volume, scale and speed.

“I’m asking industry for three things: volume, scale and speed. It’s important for industry not only to make a prototype, but to quickly adapt that prototype to a product and then scale it to deliver quantity quickly,” he said.

He also said the armed forces would focus on formulating their requirements rather than prescribing specific technologies to industry.

“We will not prescribe the technology for the solution. You will come up with the required technology, the required solution to our problems, and I’m sure that working together we will be able to achieve what we want.”