https://sputniknews.in/20260730/indian-defence-sector-needs-more-ai-cybersecurity-and-aerospace-experts-air-force-chief-11823451.html
Indian Defence Sector Needs More AI, Cybersecurity and Aerospace Experts: Air Force Chief
Indian Defence Sector Needs More AI, Cybersecurity and Aerospace Experts: Air Force Chief
Sputnik India
India’s defence sector needs a larger pool of skilled professionals in emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity... 30.07.2026, Sputnik India
2026-07-30T15:49+0530
2026-07-30T15:49+0530
2026-07-30T15:50+0530
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Speaking at a joint workshop on the defence industry organised by the Indian Air Force and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), Singh stressed that technological sovereignty would be critical to achieving genuine self-reliance in defence.“Having a sovereign stack, secure networks, storage and data privacy is extremely important,” he said. “At the same time, we must have intellectual property rights over whatever we develop. Only then will we be able to make changes whenever we want and encode or decode anything according to our requirements.”The Air Force chief also called for the development of indigenous AI algorithms, arguing that control over critical technologies and intellectual property is essential if India wants to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers.“We also need to develop indigenous AI algorithms. All of this will help us achieve complete self-reliance,” Singh said.He added that India must strengthen expertise in areas such as aerodynamic design and propulsion, noting that these capabilities are required not only to manufacture advanced defence systems but also to maintain and upgrade them throughout their operational life.Singh linked the need for a stronger domestic skills base directly to India’s push for Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance, in defence manufacturing.“Every brick should be made in India. In fact, every brick should be developed in India. Only then can we say that we are completely self-reliant,” he said.The Air Force chief warned that continued dependence on foreign countries for critical components could create strategic vulnerabilities, particularly during periods of geopolitical tension or supply disruption.“If we still have to depend on another country for certain components, then obviously we can become vulnerable to that country, which may stop supplying them,” Singh said.For India, Singh suggested, genuine defence self-reliance will depend not only on manufacturing systems domestically, but also on owning the technologies, expertise and intellectual property needed to develop, modify and sustain them independently.
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Indian Defence Sector Needs More AI, Cybersecurity and Aerospace Experts: Air Force Chief
15:49 30.07.2026 (Updated: 15:50 30.07.2026) India’s defence sector needs a larger pool of skilled professionals in emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, advanced materials and aerospace, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Thursday.
Speaking at a joint workshop on the defence industry organised by the Indian Air Force and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), Singh stressed that technological sovereignty would be critical to achieving genuine self-reliance in defence.
“Having a sovereign stack, secure networks, storage and data privacy is extremely important,” he said. “At the same time, we must have intellectual property rights over whatever we develop. Only then will we be able to make changes whenever we want and encode or decode anything according to our requirements.”
The Air Force chief also called for the development of indigenous AI algorithms, arguing that control over critical technologies and intellectual property is essential if India wants to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers.
“We also need to develop indigenous AI algorithms. All of this will help us achieve complete self-reliance,” Singh said.
He added that India must strengthen expertise in areas such as aerodynamic design and propulsion, noting that these capabilities are required not only to manufacture advanced defence systems but also to maintain and upgrade them throughout their operational life.
Singh linked the need for a stronger domestic skills base directly to India’s push for Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance, in defence manufacturing.
“Every brick should be made in India. In fact, every brick should be developed in India. Only then can we say that we are completely self-reliant,” he said.
The Air Force chief warned that continued dependence on foreign countries for critical components could create strategic vulnerabilities, particularly during periods of geopolitical tension or supply disruption.
“If we still have to depend on another country for certain components, then obviously we can become vulnerable to that country, which may stop supplying them,” Singh said.
For India, Singh suggested, genuine defence self-reliance will depend not only on manufacturing systems domestically, but also on owning the technologies, expertise and intellectual property needed to develop, modify and sustain them independently.
