The Indian Navy plays a crucial role in safeguarding India’s maritime interests across the ocean borders of India. In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements have transformed naval defence capabilities by providing an intelligent, multi-layered approach to counter diverse threats. With adversaries increasingly employing drones, autonomous underwater vehicles, and unconventional tactics, the Indian Navy is embracing cutting-edge technology to enhance maritime security.
Evolving Threats and the Need for AI
India’s maritime challenges range from traditional military threats to asymmetric tactics. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), used by adversaries now for reconnaissance, smuggling, and delivering payloads, pose significant risks to Indian naval bases, ships, and offshore platforms like oil rigs. Similarly, underwater threats, including autonomous vehicles and submarines, highlight the need for advanced surveillance to prevent sabotage. Additionally, the region has potential threats of piracy, illegal trafficking, and surface-level attacks on ports and coastal infrastructure, necessitating robust defence mechanisms.
AI has emerged as a game-changer in responding to these challenges. The ability to integrate vast amounts of data from various domains — air, surface, and underwater — enables AI-powered systems to identify and predict potential threats, providing actionable intelligence in real-time.
Unmanned Aerial Systems used for reconnaissance, smuggling, and delivering payloads pose significant risks to Indian naval bases, ships, and offshore platforms like oil rigs. A robust defence mechanism is required to tackle underwater threats, piracy, illegal trafficking and surface-level attacks on infrastructure
Integrated Surveillance Systems
Ground-Based Systems: The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) facilitates multi-layered transparency across the networked airspace, enabling real-time monitoring and tracking of every air movement or mission, whether friendly or hostile. It creates an integrated air situation picture seamlessly connected to the sensor-to-shooter kill chain (SSKC) by linking all sensors, ensuring a swift and coordinated response to threats. Complementing this, the Indian Navy’s ground-based surveillance network serves as the backbone of maritime security. Equipped with advanced radars and electro-optical sensors powered by AI algorithms, this network effectively distinguishes between natural and artificial objects, minimising false alarms and enhancing detection accuracy. Coastal Surveillance Stations (CSS). AI-driven analytics further strengthen this framework by monitoring vessel movements, identifying anomalies, and providing early warnings, ensuring robust maritime domain awareness and operational readiness.
Key examples include the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) developed by DRDO and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) which can operate continuously in all weather conditions. CSN comprises remote radar stations capable of detecting small vessels such as trawlers, enhancing coastal security. Another critical asset is the Lanza-N 3D Air Surveillance Radar, deployed on Delhi-class destroyers like INS Mysore, which enables long-range detection of aerial threats. The Revathi 3D Surveillance Radar, designed for shipborne use, is highly effective in detecting and tracking air and sea targets, even in electronic warfare scenarios.
Drone-Based Systems: Drone-based systems have revolutionised maritime surveillance by offering persistent and flexible monitoring. Tethered drones, powered by continuous energy sources, provide long-term aerial coverage over critical areas, serving as force multipliers for real-time threat detection. Swarm drones, utilising AI for coordination, can collectively analyse data, detect unusual patterns, and identify threats.
Prominent examples include the Drishti 10 Starliner UAV, a domestically developed platform with a 36-hour endurance and 450 kg payload capacity, which enhances Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The CAMCOPTER S-100, a rotary-wing UAV, strengthens ISR operations across the Indian Ocean Region with its reliability and versatility. Additionally, the planned acquisition of TAPAS-BH-201 UAVs, developed by DRDO, will bolster the Navy’s ability to conduct extended operations over vast maritime zones.
Integrated Data Analysis and Response
The Indian Navy has recognised the importance of integrating ground-based and drone-based systems into a unified network for seamless operations. Data collected from radars, cameras, tethered drones, and swarm drones is processed at centralised command centres, where AI algorithms analyse it in real time. These systems use machine learning to recognise patterns, computer vision to classify objects, and big data analytics to process large volumes of information, enabling rapid decision-making.
This integrated approach creates a ‘dome of safety’ that protects both onshore and offshore assets. By providing early warnings of potential intrusions and enabling automated responses, the Navy can address threats more effectively and ensure comprehensive situational awareness.
Countering Drone Threats with Multi-Layered Defence
Drones pose a significant threat in modern warfare, and the Indian Navy has adopted a multi-layered strategy to neutralize them. This approach combines soft kill (non-lethal) and hard kill (lethal) methods to address threats at different levels of engagement.
Soft Kill Methods
Soft kill methods focus on disrupting or disabling drones without physical destruction. Jamming and spoofing techniques, powered by AI-enabled electronic warfare systems, can detect and jam drone communication frequencies or mimic control signals to redirect drones to safer locations. Directed-energy weapons, such as laser systems, disable drones by targeting their optical systems or onboard electronics, offering a precise and cost-effective solution. AI-powered counter-drones can autonomously intercept rogue drones by predicting their flight paths and neutralising them.
Hard Kill Methods
Hard kill methods involve physically destroying drones when necessary. Kinetic interceptors, including anti-drone missiles and guns, are effective for immediate threats, with AI enhancing targeting precision. Tethered counter-drone systems, armed with net launchers, provide a non-destructive option to capture drones mid-air, especially in environments where destruction might cause collateral damage.
Layered Defence Strategy
The Navy’s layered defence strategy ensures comprehensive protection:
- The outer layer employs long-range radars and anti-drone missiles for early detection and neutralisation.
- The middle layer utilises jamming and spoofing techniques to counter drones that evade the outer layer.
- The inner layer deploys laser systems and kinetic interceptors to handle threats that breach initial defences.
These measures are supported by indigenous technologies developed by DRDO, such as Directed Energy Systems and AI-enabled Electronic Warfare Systems, highlighting India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence capabilities.
Drone-based systems have revolutionised maritime surveillance by offering persistent monitoring. Tethered drones provide long-term aerial coverage, serving as force multipliers for real-time threat detection. Swarm drones can collectively analyse data, detect unusual patterns, and identify threats
AI and Multi-Domain Integration
AI’s ability to integrate data from air, surface, and underwater domains provides the Indian Navy with unparalleled situational awareness. This capability is essential for detecting coordinated attacks involving drones, fast boats and submarines, and managing complex scenarios with threats from multiple vectors. Additionally, AI-powered predictive analytics enable commanders to anticipate potential threats based on historical data and evolving trends, ensuring proactive responses.
Challenges and Opportunities
While AI integration enhances naval defence, it presents several challenges. Data management is a significant hurdle, as surveillance systems generate vast amounts of information that require robust storage and processing infrastructure. Cybersecurity risks also pose a threat, with AI systems vulnerable to cyberattacks that could compromise their integrity. Furthermore, the cost and scalability of deploying advanced AI solutions across extensive operational areas demand significant investment.
However, these challenges come with opportunities. Indigenous development of AI technologies reduces dependency on foreign systems and promotes self-reliance. Collaboration with academia, startups, and industry can accelerate innovation, while skill development programmes ensure naval personnel are equipped to operate and maintain AI-enabled systems effectively. Together, these efforts position the Navy to overcome challenges and establish itself as a leader in maritime defence.
Collaboration with academia, startups, and industry can accelerate innovation, while skill development programmes ensure naval personnel are equipped to operate and maintain AI-enabled systems effectively. Together, these efforts position the Navy to establish itself as a leader in maritime defence
India’s Strategic Edge
The Indian Navy’s focus on AI-enabled threat detection and counter-drone systems aligns with its broader goal of achieving maritime dominance. By integrating advanced technologies, the Navy safeguards critical assets, maintains operational superiority, and responds proactively to emerging threats, ensuring the security of India’s maritime borders and economic interests. Collaborative initiatives, such as the success of IDEX Challenge-winning solutions, underscore India’s commitment to leveraging AI for defence. These efforts reflect the Navy’s forward-thinking approach to addressing the evolving challenges of modern warfare.
Conclusion
AI-enabled threat detection and counter-drone systems are transforming naval defence, offering unprecedented capabilities in surveillance, threat neutralisation, and multi-domain integration. For the Indian Navy, these technologies are not merely tools but strategic enablers that enhance its operational effectiveness across the vast maritime theatre.
As the nature of threats evolves, so must defence strategies. By embracing AI and multi-layered counter-drone systems, the Indian Navy ensures robust maritime security, solidifying its position as a formidable force in the 21st century.
