New Delhi:

The emergence of disruptive technology is transforming modern wars and blunting the conventional combat ratio which was a metric to determine the military strength and superiority between states, Army chief General Manoj Pande said at the maiden NDTV Defence Summit, highlighting some of the challenges in modern warfare.

Whether the use of tanks in World War 1 or the development of supersonic fighter jets after World War 2, ‘disruptive technology’ has changed the status quo between factions.

At the summit, General Pande focused on access to such technology by non-state actors, a challenge to the security of the country and said information, cyber, and space warfare have been added to the domain of conflicts. The Army chief said the adversary, with access to such technology, can initiate a low-threshold conflict.

Former Deputy National Security Advisor of the US, Nadia Schadlow said, “The space between war and peace is not an empty one – but a landscape churning with political, economic, and security competitions that require constant attention.”

– ‘Disruptive Technology’ –

The democratization of technology led to the easy acquisition of AI, which can be used to direct targeted attacks. The use of semi-autonomous and autonomous drones, which are powered by AI, in the Russia-Ukraine war and the attacks in the Red Sea have forced states to change their strategy. The US-led alliance in the Gulf is tracking the attacks but is yet to nip it in the bud.

Drones can carry out missions at low cost and have blunted the asymmetry. The US and UK are arming Ukraine with AI-powered drones to carry out precision strikes. Ukraine’s domestic production of drones has risen significantly since the war began in 2022 and the need has created a giant war lab and the country is producing more drones than it could purchase. The UK has increased the funding by 125 million pounds and will supply over 10,000 drones to Ukraine. Houthi rebels, backed by Yemen, have used autonomous platforms to target ships in the Gulf.  

“The use of drones indicates a doctrinal shift and robots are here to play an important role. 10-15% of robots will be there in future forces,” Sameer Joshi, a defence expert said at the summit.

Off-the-shelf disruptive technologies have helped conventionally weaker states use methods to fight a cost-efficient, sustainable fight to stay on the battlefield longer. Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system uses AI to intercept incoming rockets. The 2021 Israeli offensive against Palestinians is called the first ‘AI war’ after Israel used AI tools like ‘Gospel’, ‘Alchemist’, and ‘Depth of Wisodm’ to conduct precision strikes on targets in Gaza.

Cyberattacks on state infrastructure through Malware have posed challenges for several years. The malware attack on the servers of AIIMS Delhi is one such example. The attack was by the Chinese, FIR details that the attack had originated from China. Of 100 servers (40 physical and 60 virtual), five physical servers were successfully infiltrated by the hackers. 

Recently, healthcare providers in the US have struggled to make payments following a ransomware attack, which reportedly originated from Russia. The Colonial Pipeline attack on US oil infrastructure was the biggest in history. Reports claimed that a Russian group named DarkSide was responsible. 

One of the key elements in India’s new criminal laws is the inclusion of “threat to economic security” under the definition of an “act of terror”. 

Concerns over Deep Fakes have been raised even by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Its use in information warfare in generating fake news, especially during a crisis. Information warfare is as essential as firepower in a battle to psychologically dominate the warring faction.

In November last year, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order outlining security measures for AI. The Deputy White House Chief of Staff Bruce Reed said Biden’s interest in AI was partly fuelled after watching Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. 

The Army chief at the summit said, “This is happening amidst legacy challenges of unsettled borders continue,” – An indirect reference to issues with China and Pakistan.

– ‘China’s Three Warfare Strategy’ –

In 2003, the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee and the Central Military Commission approved the ‘Three Warfare Strategy’ to guide the People’s Liberation Army’s political and information warfighting. The three elements of the strategy are Public Opinion, Information and Legal Warfare. 

Taking the border conflict in Ladakh as a reference, China used legacy claims like the 1962 reference line, and 1959 claims in Ladakh to justify its aggressive military posture. The dissemination of videos on social media related to the Galwan clash and standoff at other flash points was used to fight information warfare. Directing public opinion among its citizens that it’s our “lost land” and we have “sovereignty over it” were some tactics used. During Donald Trump’s Presidency, the US has raised concerns over China’s “Military-Civil Fusion” to develop technologies that have a dual use. 

Such tactics, use of disruptive technology, and subterfuge have blurred the lines between peace and war and created a Grey zone conflict by the adversary, an issue highlighted by General Pande in his address. 

– ‘Indigenization to Empowerment’ –

The Army Chief stressed the need to develop critical technologies indigenously to create a domestic ecosystem and reduce our reliance on foreign players. “A tri-services project is being undertaken to develop a high-powered computing AI cloud and a roadmap is being created,” General Pande said, adding that we are working on 45 niche technologies and 120 indigenous projects which have implications for the military. 

“Swadeshikaran (Indigenization) se Sashakstikaran (empowerment) is a work in progress to be future ready, he said.

At the Innovation for Defence Excellence (IDEX), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the ADITI scheme to accelerate innovation in critical and strategic deep-tech technologies for future warfare. It provides financial subsidies to private players, creating a public-private partnership model to develop future technology.

New Delhi:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked industry leaders in private defence manufacturing and related services to give ideas for ensuring strong growth of the sector.

Mr Singh said India’s private sector in defence manufacturing has grown tremendously in recent years.

“No doubt, confidence in the private sector has increased. Whatever suggestions we get from the private sector, we look at them properly. The government never hesitates to take steps needed to meet those suggestions,” Mr Singh said at the first edition of NDTV Defence Summit on Thursday.

“Whenever I go to such conferences, I meet a wide range of industry leaders, talk to them. I see that they express everything is fine in front of me, but I tell them if they have any new suggestion, or need something that can promote their industry, fulfil the nation’s requirements, or increase exports, I welcome them,” the Defence Minister told NDTV’s Editor-In-Chief Sanjay Pugalia.

Mr Singh said the nation’s armed forces are always prepared for war and ready to respond strongly to any challenge, against the backdrop of a border row with China and concerns over Chinese aggression in the Indian Ocean Region.

“We have to be ready for war at all times… even in peacetime. We have to be ready,” he added.

He also spoke about the government’s focus on an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, or a self-reliant India, when considering the defence sector. “In 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government came to power, we put the defence sector as our main priority. Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance, was encouraged… we introduced many make-in-India initiatives and our focus was on military modernisation,” Mr Singh said.

The NDTV Defence Summit 2024 brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss, collaborate, and strategise on the pressing issues facing our world today. This year’s summit, the first of an annual series, focused on the theme of ‘Unleashing India’s Defence Potential’, recognising the dynamic challenges and opportunities that define our global security landscape.

New Delhi:

Boeing is one of the top aerospace firms that have been sourcing components and services in a massive scale from India, a top executive of the American company said at the first edition of NDTV Defence Summit.

At the session on international firms in India, who are the partners in atmanirbharta or self-reliance in the defence sector, Boeing Defense Vice President of India Business Development, Alain Garcia, highlighted the company’s long association with India that has developed into a strong relationship.

“We source $1.25 billion worth components and services from India every year,” Mr Garcia, Vice President, India Business Development, Boeing Defense, Space and Security and Global Services, said at the NDTV Defence Summit.

The NDTV Defence Summit 2024 brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss, collaborate, and strategise on the pressing issues facing our world today. This year’s summit, the first of an annual series, focused on the theme of ‘Unleashing India’s Defence Potential’, recognising the dynamic challenges and opportunities that define our global security landscape.

New Delhi:

The Narendra Modi government has prioritised the defence sector and encouraged self-reliance, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today in his address in the NDTV’s maiden Defence Summit.

“In 2014, when Prime Minister Modi’s government came to power, we put defence sector as our main priority. Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) was encouraged and we introduced many Make-in-India initiatives. Our focus was on military modernisation,” he said.

“I am not saying that previous governments did not put emphasis on defence sector. But we brought atmanirbharta in the defence sector,” Mr Singh added.

The Defence Minister said India now imports technology “only when our own innovation falls short”.

Underlining the government’s vision to reduce dependence on other countries, he said, “As a nation, adopting a mindset of technological dependence on other countries can be detrimental to our overall well-being, impacting various facets such as literature, daily life and every aspect of our existence. Prime Minister Modi is striving to break free from this mentality.”

“We must break free from thinking that we are dependent on others and change the way we approach progress,” he said. To drive home his point, the Defence Minister quoted lines by poet Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena. “Lik par ve chalen jinke charan durbal aur hare hain, hamein to jo hamari yatra se bane aise anirmit panth pyare hain.” (Those whose feet are weak and defeated should follow the trodden path, we like the path created by our journey),” he said.

He said the government had put its trust in indigenous companies such Hindustan Aeronautical Limited to boost the defence sector.