Autonomous Warfare in Operation Sindoor: A New Era of AI-Driven Military Combat

PWOnlyIAS

May 31, 2025

Autonomous Warfare in Operation Sindoor: A New Era of AI-Driven Military Combat

Operation Sindoor marked the first major use of autonomous aerial systems in direct military combat between India and Pakistan.

About Autonomous Warfare

  • Definition: Autonomous warfare involves the use of unmanned systems (drones, robots, loitering munitions) that can operate without direct human control.
  • Autonomous WarfareKey Components: 
    • Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS): Drones used for surveillance, strike, and electronic warfare.
    • Loitering Munitions: Drones that hover in the air until a target is found and then strike.
    • Swarm Drones: Multiple drones that operate in coordination to overwhelm enemy defences.
    • AI-based Targeting: These platforms use AI and algorithms to navigate, identify, and engage targets independently or semi-independently.
  • Other Key Technologies driving Autonomous Warfare:
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning enables autonomous systems to:
      • Navigate complex environments
      • Identify, track, and prioritize targets
      • Make decisions without human input
      • Used for real-time threat analysis, adaptive mission planning, and swarm coordination.
    • Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems: Disrupt or deceive enemy sensors and communications.
      • Includes:
        • Decoy drones to bait defences
        • Signal jamming and spoofing to mislead enemy systems
        • Cyber payloads for disabling networks
    • Real-Time Data Networks & Battle Management Systems: 
      • Examples: Integrated Battle Management System (IBMS), IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System)
      • Link drones, sensors, command centers, and strike assets in real time.
      • Enables dynamic targeting, coordinated strikes, and shared situational awareness.
    • Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs): Use high-powered lasers or microwaves to disable drones and incoming threats.
    • Autonomous Ground & Naval Systems (Emerging): Autonomous tanks, UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles), and USVs (Unmanned Surface Vessels) are under development.
  • Modern Battlefield Role:
    • Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR)
    • Target acquisition
    • Electronic warfare
    • Direct strike missions

Ethical Challenges of Autonomous Warfare

  • Loss of Human Judgment and Moral Agency: Autonomous weapons (e.g., drones or robotic soldiers) lack consciousness and cannot exercise moral judgment.
    • Ethical decisions in war (e.g., distinguishing combatants from civilians) often require empathy, context, and discretion,  traits that machines inherently lack.
  • Dehumanization of Warfare: Automation may desensitize decision-makers and combatants to violence.
    • The reduction in the psychological cost of killing is evident in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
  • Accountability Gaps: If an autonomous system commits a war crime or violates humanitarian norms, who is morally responsible? The programmer, commander, manufacturer, or the AI itself?
  • Bias and Discrimination: AI systems may inherit or amplify biases from their training data or design, leading to disproportionate harm to certain groups.

Legal Challenges of Autonomous Warfare

  • Compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
    • Autonomous weapons must adhere to principles of: 
      • Distinction – Between combatants and civilians.
      • Proportionality – Harm to civilians must not be excessive in relation to military advantage.
      • Military Necessity – Use of force must be justified by legitimate military objectives.
      • Precaution – All feasible steps must be taken to avoid or minimize harm to civilians.
    • It is currently unclear whether autonomous systems can reliably meet these standards.
  • Accountability and Legal Responsibility:  No clear framework exists for assigning legal responsibility for unlawful acts by autonomous systems.
  • Lack of Regulation and Treaty Law: No comprehensive international treaty governs autonomous weapons systems (AWS).

India’s Drone Capabilities

  • India deployed a wide range of UAS:
    • ISR Drones: TAPAS-BH-201 (Rustom-II), Heron MK-II
    • Loitering Munitions: Nagastra-1, Israeli Harop
    • Swarm Drones: Used for radar spoofing and network saturation
    • Micro/Quadcopters: For real-time targeting via Integrated Battle Management System (IBMS)

Private Sector Involvement in Autonomous Warfare

  • Indian private companies are now central to developing autonomous and AI-powered military technologies, moving beyond their earlier supporting role.
  • Drone Revolution:
    • ideaForge has developed surveillance and reconnaissance drones like SWITCH UAV and NETRA V2.
    • Alpha Design partnered with Israel’s Elbit Systems to build SkyStriker, a precision strike drone.
    • Solar Industries launched Nagastra-1, a loitering munition system, Nagastra-2 and  Nagastra-3 are under development.
    • NewSpace Research is pioneering drone swarms for the Indian Air Force.
  • AI & Swarm Technology: 
    • Startups like 114AI and NewSpace are developing AI-driven drone swarms, a key element of future autonomous warfare.
    • These technologies allow multiple drones to operate cooperatively without direct human control, enhancing mission efficiency and survivability.
  • Space-Based Autonomy: Private companies like Pixxel, Dhruva Space, and Digantara are participating in the Space-Based Surveillance-3 (SBS-3) programme.
    • These firms are co-developing satellites for strategic military use, a foundational step for autonomous space-based defence systems.
  • Government Support & Strategic Vision: Policies such as the PLI scheme, iDEX, and import bans on foreign drones have empowered private players.
    • Over 550 private drone firms are now part of the Drone Federation of India, aiming to make India a global drone hub by 2030.
  • Economic Impact: Defence exports reached ₹24,000 crore ($2.9B) in FY25; drones and autonomous tech contributed significantly.
    • The Indian drone market is projected to hit $11 billion by 2030, with over 12% global market share.

Integrated Air Defence & Electronic Warfare

  • India’s IACCS: Integrated Air Command and Control System
    • Merges radar, satellite, airborne, and ground data
    • Uses Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) for drone neutralization
    • Survived multiple disruption attempts by Pakistan
  • Tactical Control Layer: Akashteer system for UAV tracking and response.
  • Use of Legacy Systems: India creatively upgraded Cold War-era Low-Level Air Defence (LLAD) platforms
    • ZSU-23-4 Shilka, OSA-AK, Pechora, L/70 Bofors AA guns
    • Integrated with modern systems like SPYDER, Akash, Barak-8, and S-400

Advantages of Autonomous Warfare

  • No pilot risk: Human lives are not directly endangered during missions.
  • Precision targeting: Reduces collateral damage with real-time data and guided strikes.
  • Persistent surveillance: Drones can stay airborne for extended periods.
  • Cost-effective: Cheaper than manned aircraft and missiles.
  • Rapid response: Quick deployment in conflict zones or emergent threats.

Strategic Impact of Operation Sindoor

  • The operation Sindoor highlighted India’s growing capability in autonomous warfare, executing precise, risk-free cross-border strikes.
  • It is a new model of deterrence in the region, signaling a shift in regional aerial power dynamics in India’s favor.
  • Future conflicts may be driven more by algorithms and data than by soldiers.

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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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