AI, Quantum Tech to Shape Future of National Security: Jitendra Singh

Highlighting India's progress in defence manufacturing, Dr. Singh said the country has made substantial advances in reducing dependence on imported defence equipment.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said the future of national security will increasingly depend on the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Technologies, Biotechnology and Space capabilities, as warfare moves beyond conventional battlefields and becomes driven by advanced technology.

Speaking at the National Defence College (NDC), Dr. Singh addressed senior officers and course participants on the theme "Future Trajectory of Science and Technology and its Impact on National Security." He said scientific and technological innovation has become one of the most important pillars of national strength, influencing not only military preparedness but also economic resilience, strategic autonomy and global competitiveness.

The minister said the nature of warfare has changed significantly over the past decade, with technological superiority becoming as important as traditional military strength. He noted that recent conflicts around the world have demonstrated how capabilities in space, communications, surveillance, precision weapon systems and real-time decision-making can determine the outcome of military operations. India, he added, has steadily strengthened its indigenous technological capabilities, allowing the country to improve its defence preparedness while enhancing its standing on the global stage.

Highlighting India's progress in defence manufacturing, Dr. Singh said the country has made substantial advances in reducing dependence on imported defence equipment. Defence production has increased by nearly 174 per cent since 2014, reaching around ₹1.54 lakh crore, while defence exports have grown almost 34 times to exceed ₹23,000 crore. He said the private sector has played a major role in this transformation and now contributes significantly to India's expanding defence exports.

The minister pointed out that the country's defence manufacturing ecosystem has grown rapidly with the participation of more than 16,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) along with hundreds of startups developing advanced defence technologies. This expanding ecosystem, he said, demonstrates how innovation, entrepreneurship and national security can reinforce one another while creating new opportunities for industrial growth, technological advancement and economic development.

Looking at the future, Dr. Singh identified Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technologies, Biotechnology and advanced Space capabilities as the technologies that will define the next generation of national security. He said these fields are expected to transform military planning, strategic deterrence and national resilience over the coming decades.

On Artificial Intelligence, the minister said future armed forces will increasingly depend on autonomous systems, intelligent surveillance platforms, predictive analytics, cognitive warfare capabilities and rapid decision-support systems. AI and Machine Learning are expected to reshape military training, logistics, operational planning and threat assessment by allowing commanders to process large volumes of information and respond more quickly to changing battlefield conditions.

Discussing Quantum Technologies, Dr. Singh said developments in quantum sensing, secure quantum communication and quantum cryptography are creating a new generation of strategic capabilities across the world. He referred to India's National Quantum Mission, launched in 2023, as a major step toward positioning the country among global leaders in advanced computing and secure communications. He added that the deployment of quantum-secure communication networks and post-quantum cryptography will become increasingly important for protecting critical civilian and military infrastructure from future cyber threats.

The minister also highlighted the growing strategic importance of Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology. He said the possibility of engineered pathogens and other advanced biological threats has expanded the scope of national security beyond conventional defence planning. Continuous investment in biotechnology research, healthcare preparedness and biosecurity measures, he said, will strengthen the country's ability to respond to future public health emergencies and emerging security risks.

According to Dr. Singh, India's long-term security strategy should be built around three broad priorities. These include developing predictive and proactive systems for identifying emerging threats, strengthening the protection of digital and cyber infrastructure, and achieving greater self-reliance in strategic technologies and critical supply chains. He said advances in emerging technologies will allow governments to improve threat detection, strengthen cybersecurity and develop faster, more adaptive response systems capable of protecting national interests in an increasingly interconnected world.

Dr. Singh also stressed the importance of closer collaboration between government agencies, research institutions, universities, industry and startups. Public-private partnerships, he said, will play a central role in accelerating innovation and ensuring that scientific discoveries move efficiently from research laboratories into practical applications. Building this bridge between research and deployment will allow technological breakthroughs to strengthen India's strategic capabilities more effectively.

He added that India's future strength will depend on creating an innovation ecosystem where civilian scientific progress and military requirements evolve together. Such an approach would not only improve national security but also position India as a leading technology-driven economy and a trusted international partner in advanced strategic technologies.

Expressing appreciation for the country's Armed Forces, Dr. Singh said the nation owes a lasting debt of gratitude to its soldiers for protecting India's borders as well as for their service during natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies and other national crises. He said their dedication, often carried out away from public attention, continues to strengthen the country's resilience and reflects the highest spirit of public service.

The address concluded with an interactive discussion during which senior officers and participants of the National Defence College exchanged views on emerging technologies, innovation-led defence strategies and the evolving security challenges likely to shape the twenty-first century.