Army Chief Calls for AI Readiness, Warns of Talent Shortage by 2027

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi | Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, speaking at the Delhi Defence Dialogue, underlined the importance of modernizing legacy military systems while preparing the Indian Army for a future shaped by artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

General Dwivedi noted that legacy platforms would continue to play a vital role in India’s defence ecosystem for at least the next five to seven years. “They’re here to stay because you cannot change them so fast,” he said, adding that existing systems must be empowered through modifications and upgrades rather than immediate replacement.

He highlighted the pressing challenge of infrastructure gaps, both physical and digital, stressing that the network spectrum and satellite integration for the three armed services were still in a developing phase. “The network spectrum is still not seeing the light of day completely... The satellite aspirations of all three services will take some time to mature,” he stated.

Turning to the issue of artificial intelligence, General Dwivedi warned that by 2027, there could be a serious talent deficit in AI-related fields. “While 2.3 million jobs are expected to be available, the talent pool may only be half that number,” he cautioned. This imbalance, he said, could make outsourcing prohibitively expensive for the Indian Army.

He urged early investment in AI education and skill development, both within the armed forces and in civilian institutions. “Our schools need experts in AI—even in the Indian Army—because the demand is going to be high and the talent is going to be low,” the Army Chief concluded.