Artificial Intelligence as a Strategic Asset in National Security
Introduction:
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the nature of warfare, security governance, and strategic competition among nations. As AI systems become capable of autonomous analysis, predictive decision-making, and real-time surveillance, they are increasingly integrated into military and security infrastructures. For countries like India, AI presents both opportunities for strengthening national security and challenges related to ethics, sovereignty, and technological dependence.
Context: Reports suggest that the U.S. military integrated Anthropic’s Claude AI into its operational kill chain to assist in real-time target identification and legal authorization during military strikes in Iran. This development highlights the growing role of AI in modern warfare and raises concerns about automation in lethal decision-making and the strategic implications of AI in global security dynamics.
Meaning of National Security Calculus: The national security calculus refers to the strategic assessment of how Artificial Intelligence, as a dual-use technology, reshapes the balance of power among nations. Unlike nuclear technology, which is scarce and tightly controlled by governments, AI is largely driven by private sector innovation, mathematical models, and semiconductor infrastructure, making it more widely accessible.
Speed and Efficiency in Military Operations: AI significantly enhances the speed of decision-making and target prioritization in modern warfare. Reports from the 2026 Iran conflict indicate that the U.S. military used AI targeting tools to identify and strike over 1,000 targets within the first 24 hours, demonstrating how AI compresses operational timelines.
Surveillance and Border Monitoring: AI-enabled drones, satellites, and image-recognition systems strengthen border management by providing real-time monitoring of difficult terrains. In early 2026, the Indian Army deployed AI-enabled swarm drones along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to enhance automated reconnaissance and situational awareness.
Predictive Threat Analysis: Machine learning algorithms can analyze large volumes of data to identify patterns in terrorist communication networks and suspicious activities. In India, the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) uses AI-based models for scenario planning and national security risk assessments.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection: AI helps detect advanced cyber threats, polymorphic malware, and deepfake-enabled fraud, thereby protecting critical infrastructure. The CyberGuard AI Hackathon (2025) facilitated the deployment of AI-based Security Operation Centres across India’s power grid to detect cyber intrusions.
Internal Security and Crowd Management: AI-based facial recognition and behavioral analytics assist in maintaining law and order during large gatherings. During Maha Kumbh 2025, authorities deployed 2,700 AI-enabled CCTV cameras to monitor crowd density and identify individuals with criminal records.
Logistics and Autonomous Defence Systems: AI improves military logistics, autonomous systems, and risk reduction in hazardous environments. Under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) program, Indian startups are developing AI-powered autonomous underwater vehicles for the Indian Navy.
IndiaAI Mission: The Government of India launched the IndiaAI Mission with an allocation of ₹10,372 crore to develop sovereign compute capacity, foundation models, and frameworks for Safe and Trusted AI.
BharatGen Initiative: BharatGen is the world’s first government-funded multimodal large language model designed to support 22 Indian languages, thereby promoting India’s cognitive sovereignty and digital inclusivity.
India–US iCET Partnership: The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) strengthens bilateral cooperation in areas such as defence AI, semiconductor supply chains, and advanced technologies.
Black Box Problem in AI: AI systems often function as opaque “black box” models, making it difficult to explain their decision-making processes during lethal operations. This creates accountability challenges in military contexts.
Dependence on Foreign Technology: Heavy reliance on foreign AI models and hardware creates strategic vulnerabilities such as hidden surveillance risks or kill switches. This highlights the need for indigenous AI capabilities.
AI-Driven Disinformation: AI technologies can generate deepfakes and synthetic media, which can manipulate public opinion and destabilize democratic institutions. Security agencies in India have already flagged such attempts during elections.
Export Control Evasion: Advanced actors can circumvent semiconductor restrictions through proxy services and model distillation techniques, making technology control regimes less effective.
Ethical and Human Control Challenges: The rapid decision-making capability of AI may reduce human oversight in military operations, raising serious ethical and legal concerns about autonomous lethal weapons.
Need for Sovereign AI Infrastructure: India must invest in indigenous AI models, domestic semiconductor capabilities, and national datasets to ensure strategic autonomy in security applications.
Global Norms and Governance: Countries should develop international norms and agreements to ensure meaningful human control over lethal autonomous weapons and responsible use of AI in warfare.
Strengthening AI Security and Testing: Establishing AI red-teaming units within the armed forces can help test systems against adversarial attacks and vulnerabilities.
Ethical and Responsible AI Frameworks: Implementing continuous ethical audits and accountability mechanisms is essential to ensure responsible deployment of AI in public and defence sectors.
Conclusion: The integration of Artificial Intelligence into national security marks a shift toward algorithm-driven strategic competition and technology-centric warfare. For India, the key challenge lies in balancing technological advancement with ethical governance and strategic autonomy. Building a robust indigenous AI ecosystem and sovereign technological capabilities will be crucial for safeguarding national security in the evolving geopolitical landscape.
Source : The Hindu