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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the wars of the future will be decided not by the size of armies but by the power of technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and algorithms. Speaking at a national defence innovation event, he urged Indian startups, scientists, and engineers to play a key role in developing next-generation military technologies.
Singh explained that traditional warfare has changed dramatically. Future conflicts will be fought through data, drones, robotics, and quantum computing, instead of only guns and missiles. He said, “The country that controls code and computing will control the battlefield.”
Highlighting India’s progress, the Defence Minister said that spending on domestic defence manufacturing has grown sharply from ₹74,000 crore in 2021–22 to ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2024–25. He also mentioned government programs like iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and the Technology Development Fund, which support startups building drones, cybersecurity tools, and smart surveillance systems for the armed forces.
Encouraging young innovators, Singh said India must build its own technology instead of depending on foreign defence imports. “We have more than 100 unicorns in India, but not one from the defence sector. I want to see the first defence unicorn emerge soon,” he added.
He also spoke about the rise of quantum computing and AI-powered systems, saying these will make the military faster, smarter, and safer. However, he stressed that India must use such technology responsibly, ensuring that ethics and global peace remain priorities.
With this vision, Singh outlined a future where India’s defence strength will be defined by innovation, intelligence, and self-reliance a shift from manpower to mind power.
