Defence Ran Samvad 2026: Artificial Intelligence has transitioned from being a future prediction to its current role as a military force that changes battle strategies. The recent high-level defence talks, which took place in India during the Ran Samvad 2026 summit, showed that AI technology changes modern warfare, but humans still make vital decisions.
Defence Ran Samvad 2026
Modern warfare is undergoing a massive transformation. According to recent defence discussions, battlefields are no longer limited to land, air, and sea, they now extend into cyber, space, and even cognitive domains.
“The ongoing Middle East conflict is a sharp reminder that sea lane disruption, energy supply shocks, and regional instability can affect India’s interests without a single adversary targeting us directly,” said Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, in his keynote address on the opening day of the two-day Ran Samwad conference on Thursday.
“An Iranian naval frigate was recently sunk nearly 40 nautical miles from Sri Lanka in waters where India has vital interests. For us, this is not a distant spectacle. It is a strategic lesson delivered in real time,” said Air Marshal Dixit.
AI enables the following critical capabilities which drive this development forward:
- Instant access to data which scientists need for their research.
- Detects potential threats at an increased speed.
- Operates without human control through its fully automatic and partially automatic weapon systems.
“Technology is the common thread binding the decision-making process in modern warfare by integrating the data into the network, converting the integrated data into a decision advantage, and translating it into a coherent fighting architecture. This must always be technology-enabled, and not technology-led,” General Dwivedi said.
“The kill chain and web kill chain must join hands to make it a smart kill chain, as the human must remain on the loop exercising judgment,” the Army chief said.
“Machines will probably not tell you what is to be done. It can give you an option thereafter, I think, the expertise, the experience, the battle-hardiness of the operational commanders or technical commanders who are there on the scene, or even from the headquarters, that decision will be taken by the humans based on many other factors, which actually machines cannot sense,” the Navy chief said.
Key Takeaways from India’s Defence Summit (Ran Samvad 2026)
The strategic military seminar Ran Samvad 2026 served as the main topic for their discussions. It was held at the Air Force Training Command in Bengaluru and concluded on April 10, 2026. The theme of the seminar was: “Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats.”
The summit brought together top defence leaders to address emerging threats and technological shifts.
1. AI Will Enhance, Not Replace Humans
The researchers reached their strongest conclusion, which stated that AI functions as a support system for soldiers without replacing them. Military leaders emphasized the importance of keeping humans in the “kill chain,” especially in critical combat decisions.
2. Multi-Domain Warfare Is the Future
The Indian Air Force and defence experts stressed the importance of multi-domain operations (MDO), integrating land, air, sea, cyber, and space for coordinated action.
3. Speed and Data Will Define Victory
AI-driven systems can process battlefield data in seconds, which allows commanders to make quicker and more precise choices. The summit highlighted that decision superiority, not just firepower, will determine success in future conflicts.
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India’s Push for Indigenous AI in Defence
India is not just adopting AI; it is working toward AI sovereignty. Experts and agencies have stressed the importance of developing indigenous AI systems rather than relying on foreign technologies.
This aligns with broader national strategies like:
- Indigenous defence manufacturing
- Domestic AI ecosystem development
- Reduced dependence on external tech
India achieves better security through its self-reliance approach, which establishes military trust and allows for personalized defense solutions.
“Technology is not a panacea for all our problems. The commander’s intuition of a situation will continue for a long time with all the AI and ML (machine learning) that you have. Certainly, decision-making will be faster, data processing will be faster, but technology is not the panacea for everything,” Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena said.
Real-World Applications: How AI Is Already Being Used?
AI is currently functioning in multiple defense systems through its implementation in:
- Autonomous drones for surveillance and strikes
- The combat cloud systems Akashteer which uses real-time battlefield data to manage military operations
- Cyber defense tools create protective measures that help identify and eliminate digital security threats.
“Consider what has been in play – B2 stealth bombers made ultra long range strike missions, carrier strike groups providing sea-based air power, submarine operations in the Indian Ocean. Iranian retaliation using coordinated salvos of ballistic missiles and drones striking across nine countries at once, and Iranian restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,” said Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit.
The technology enables system operation through mission control, which requires only human input for aerial vehicle management, including drone operational activities, thus demonstrating artificial intelligence’s full battlefield capabilities.
India has positioned itself as a key voice in advocating responsible AI use, balancing innovation with safety. General Chauhan also announced the next edition:bRan Samwad 2027 Theme:
“High-Intensity Operations in a Transparent and Expanded Battlespace: Challenges for Force Application and Force Preservation”
“We are going to start a strat com agency which will contain cognitive warfare and perception management at headquarter IDS. It will coordinate the efforts of all three services, especially the perception management part, but will work independently in the domain of cognitive warfare. We are also at an advanced stage of getting a communication agency that will look at the networks of the three services,” Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said
