The Ministry of Defence has begun the process of preparing Indian defence forces for use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), informed the government in the Lok Sabha. The Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics (CAIR), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory, has been sanctioned Rs 73.9 crore project to develop AI based solutions for signal intelligence to enhance intelligence collation and analysis capabilities to the armed forces, informed Union Minister of State Dr Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The Minister also informed that another Rs 1.8 crore has been sanctioned for Energy Harvesting Based Infrared Sensor Network for Automated Human Intrusion Detection (EYESIRa), partially based on the principles of IoT.  

In addition to assigning a roadmap for developing AI enabled products to the Defence Public Sector Undertakings and Ordnance Factories, the Minister said a multi-stakeholder task force on Strategic Implementation of Artificial Intelligence for National Security and Defence was constituted in February 2018. The task force has studied research and innovation in AI and has outlined its adoption in defence sector including future roadmap on how to integrate and embed AI strategy with core defence strategy, Bhamre said.

AI-based tools would help the defence forces in better operations, maintenance and logistics support, he said.

The AI task force drew members from the Government, Defence Services, Academia, Industry Professionals, DRDO, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Start-ups.