Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic buzzword for India's armed forces but a present-day operational reality, Lieutenant General Dinesh Singh Rana, Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Forces Command, said in an exclusive interview to NDTV on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
Speaking to NDTV's Senior Executive Editor Aditya Raj Kaul, Lt Gen Rana underlined that all three services of the Indian Armed Forces have already begun embedding artificial intelligence across operational, cyber and space domains, with a clear focus on making AI a force multiplier rather than a standalone technology.
"Artificial intelligence is not futuristic. We have to imbibe it now," Lt Gen Rana said, stressing that military leadership must move beyond being "platform-centric" and instead focus on digitisation and AI-driven decision-making. He pointed to ongoing global conflicts, particularly in Europe, where AI-enabled systems are being used at the ground level to dramatically compress the kill chain - the time taken from detection to engagement.
The Strategic Forces Command, an integrated tri-service command responsible for the management and administration of India's strategic and tactical nuclear weapons stockpile, is also part of this wider transformation. According to Lt Gen Rana, India did not wait for large, monolithic AI systems to mature before deployment. "At ground level, we need to deploy small artificial intelligence systems while simultaneously maturing efficiency at the highest level," he said, calling this a balanced and pragmatic approach.
A key focus of the conversation was Operation Sindoor, one of the Indian Armed Forces' most significant recent operational successes against Pakistan, particularly in the information domain. Lt Gen Rana said the operation highlighted how misinformation and disinformation can become a serious challenge during modern conflicts, sometimes overwhelming commanders and confusing the public.
"The biggest issue I found was misinformation spreading around," he said, adding that artificial intelligence has a critical role in filtering, analysing and countering false narratives in real time. AI-driven tools, he explained, can help ensure commanders are not "unduly loaded" with misleading information while also safeguarding the information space for civilians.
Beyond combat and information warfare, Lt Gen Rana emphasised AI's growing role in jointness and integration - a key reform priority for India's military. He said AI is already being used to improve coordination, unification and interoperability across the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as in cyber and space operations. "This is multi-domain operations, and all aspects of it are being touched by artificial intelligence world over. We are also not behind," he said.
The interview reinforced a broader message emerging from the AI Impact Summit: that India's armed forces are rapidly adapting to the changing character of warfare, where data, algorithms and information dominance are as decisive as firepower. As Lt Gen Rana made clear, for India's military, AI is no longer about the future, it is about readiness today.
