Wars of Tomorrow to Be Fought with AI & Drones: Rajnath Singh
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th Oct: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on October 7, 2025, highlighted the future of warfare and India’s defence innovation landscape during the ‘Raksha Navachar Samvaad: Interaction with iDEX Startups’ at Vigyan Bhawan.
“The battlefield has changed. Wars of tomorrow will be fought with algorithms, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence. Drones, anti-drone systems, quantum computing, and directed-energy weapons will define the future,” Singh stated, urging innovators to go beyond existing technologies and set global standards. He emphasized that India must transition from being a technology follower to a creator.
He noted that defence capital acquisitions from domestic sources rose from Rs. 74,000 crore in 2021-22 to Rs. 1.2 lakh crore in 2024-25, describing this as “not merely a statistical change but a change in mindset from dependence to confidence.” He also highlighted that over 350 items are earmarked for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) under the Government’s Public Procurement Policy, with at least 25% of annual procurement reserved for them.
Singh called on startups to create India’s first Defence Unicorn and lauded the role of iDEX in transforming the defence innovation ecosystem. Since its inception in 2018, iDEX has produced more than 650 winners, with prototype procurements worth over Rs. 3,000 crore. “You are the architects of a new India that believes in designing, developing, and producing for itself. The energy and innovation you bring are key to a technologically self-reliant India,” he said.
The Raksha Mantri also highlighted achievements such as record-breaking defence production worth Rs. 1.5 lakh crore, exports exceeding Rs. 23,000 crore, and innovations showcased internationally, including at the Dubai Airshow 2025. He underscored government support for startups through initiatives like the Technology Development Fund, Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme, and reforms in Defence Procurement and Acquisition procedures.
Singh concluded that India’s defence manufacturing sector under Aatmanirbhar Bharat has become a promising avenue for private investment, R&D, and employment, ensuring that the country not only achieves self-reliance but also emerges as a global leader in defence technology.
The event included an exhibition of cutting-edge defence innovations, panel discussions, and interactions between innovators, startups, MSMEs, Armed Forces representatives, and officials from defence PSUs. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat, and Secretary of Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar were also present.
