As Anthropic’s Claude model reportedly became the focus of a Pentagon dispute over the use of AI in warfare, India is accelerating efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign artificial intelligence systems for defence applications.
Bengaluru-based Sarvam AI, along with other Indian startups, is in advanced discussions with the Defence Ministry to establish a ₹300 crore Centre of Excellence (CoE) aimed at developing indigenous AI capabilities for the armed forces, according to a report by The Economic Times, citing sources.
The proposed CoE is expected to bring together multiple intelligence units focused on building AI systems trained on Indian datasets and operational conditions, including the country’s diverse terrain and climatic patterns. These systems would support advanced surveillance, reconnaissance, and decision-support functions for the military.
The development comes at a crucial time. Anthropic’s Claude model was reportedly used in active US military operations, sparking controversy after the company objected to its AI being deployed for autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance. The incident has intensified global debate over the ethical use of AI in warfare.
At the same time, concerns are rising in India and elsewhere about strategic vulnerabilities linked to reliance on foreign-developed AI systems, especially as the United States and China compete to dominate large language models and the underlying hardware ecosystem.
India’s armed forces have already begun adopting AI in real-world operations. During Operation Sindoor, defence officials reportedly used AI systems to process sensor inputs, weapons data, and other intelligence to identify enemy positions in Pakistan. AI-driven meteorological analysis, based on decades of weather data, also supported long-range precision targeting.
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