Hisar, Sep 25 Aiming to make it more effective, sharper and lethal, the Indian Army will induct some constructive and disruptive artificial intelligence in mechanised warfare in next 2-3 years.The mechanised warfare involves tanks and infantry combat vehicles.
“For military usage, we will have to be network centric and I would be pretty certain that in next 2-3 years we will be inducting some constructive and disruptive artificial intelligence into the Indian army and the first user will be the people in mechanised warfare,” South Western Army Commander Lt Gen Alok Kler said.
Talking to mediapersons post seminar on AI, Lt Gen Kler said, “Artificial Intelligence is very very necessary. From information to decision making process to destruction of military capability, the artificial intelligence will be used.”
He said that initially AI will be used for constructive purposes.
“In the beginning, it will be the constructive one — helping the commanders in decision making and making sure that any information will be converted into intelligence and that will be possibly among the first use for the army in constructive manner but soon we will have to take into account - the disruptive use of artificial intelligence,” he added.
The army commander also added that the future is artificial intelligence and it would assist all services in quick decision making.
“While I’m aware that our tanks and combat vehicles are called swarms but AI lend itself to every aspects of military decision making. When I say about military decision making, I’m talking about ... from ground to space to water to air —- the artificial intelligence will assist every services,” Lt Gen Kler said while Speaking on the occasion of Sapta Shakti Artificial Intelligence (AI) Seminar in Hisar.
The army has been working to incorporate new-age technology as the neighbouring countries are said to be moving fast, he added.
Artificial intelligence will help us in gathering information, making decisions and causing destruction, said Lt Gen Kler.
In February 2018, the defence ministry had set up a multi-stakeholder task force for Strategic Implementation of Artificial Intelligence and Defence that submitted its report in June.
The ministry went ahead by creating an institutional framework for policy implementation, issuing guidelines to the defence organizations and laying out a vision for capacity-building.
In February this year, the ministry had established a high-level Defence AI Council (DAIC) tasked to provide strategic direction towards the adoption of AI in defence.
The DAIC will guide the partnership between the government and industry and also review the recommendations concerning the acquisition of technology and startups.
With an aim of capacity building, it also envisioned the formation of a Defence AI Project Agency (DAIPA) as the central executive body.
Replying on the issue of Drones being used by Pakistan the army commander said that it was not a matter for worry. “Information of drones entering from across the border is nothing to worry about as they have smaller carriage capacity. We dont have to be worried. We have enough systems, radars and capability. Whichever drones will enter this side will be shot down by Army and Air Force, Lt Gen Kler told reporters.
Under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) scheme of the Union Government, more than 600 applications were received. 44 were finally shortlisted out of which 7 are on AI for which government is ready to give a financial support upto 1.5 cr said Mudit Narain, Representative IDEX. He was one of the speaker at seminar.
(UNI)
