On the midnight of May 7, the Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terrorist infrastructure at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attack on April 22, which killed 26 civilians.

Pakistan’s targeting of military and civilian areas of India following these strikes led to a brief conflict between the two countries which resulted in drone and missile strikes in both the countries, closure of airspace and several airports, a fall in the equity markets of both the countries, and more.

While tensions keep simmering between the two nuclear-armed countries, which have fought four wars so far, from time to time, what stood out in the latest conflict was the use of hi-tech and indigenously-developed systems by India. It not only announced the arrival of Indian defence startups and companies to the global stage but also highlighted the way artificial intelligence (AI) is strengthening India’s defence tech capabilities.

In a statement on Monday (May 12), the Centre said that indigenous AI-powered air defence system, Akashteer, was one of the key air defence systems that helped the country stand strong against its neighbour’s large-scale attacks.

The Centre said that India’s multi-layered air defence, including the indigenous Akashteer system, shot down hundreds of drones and missiles, showcasing the country’s growing capabilities in the advanced defence systems arena.

“Believed to be the first operational AI-driven war-cloud developed entirely without foreign components or satellite dependencies, Akashteer showcases India’s growing technological self-reliance,” the All India Radio News said in a post on X earlier this week.

But, What Is Akashteer?

In March 2023, the defence ministry announced signing three contracts with public sector defence companies Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) worth about INR 5,400 Cr.

One of these contracts included procurement of Automated Air Defence Control & Reporting System ‘Project Akashteer’ for the Indian Army from BEL at INR 1,982 Cr.

The indigenously-built air defence system has been........

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