India strengthens AI readiness with new military handbook, predictive disaster alert system

AI Handbook for Military Leaders, a comprehensive guide aimed at preparing commanders across all levels for the rapid transformation underway in the global security landscape due to the advent of Artificial Intelligence, was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 here on Friday.

Developed as a practical reference for senior military decision-makers, the Handbook breaks down complex concepts in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, clearly distinguishing them from traditional automation.

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It provides a structured cognitive framework for applying AI across key military functions, including command and control, coordination, communications, combat systems, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance (ISR) and autonomous platforms.

Emphasising the importance of balanced and responsible adoption, the document features dedicated chapters on risks, limitations, and ethical considerations. It underscores that human oversight must remain central to all lethal decisions and flags challenges such as data bias, system brittleness, and adherence to International Humanitarian Law as critical factors in shaping military use of AI.

The concluding section of the Handbook lays out concrete steps for preparing the force for AI-enabled battlefields, highlighting the need for strong leadership, enhanced AI literacy, robust data ecosystems and doctrinal evolution to support effective human–machine teaming.

Describing AI as a defining force in the evolving Revolution in Military Affairs, the Defence Minister said the real challenge for modern militaries lies not just in acquiring AI-based systems but in understanding, integrating, and applying them responsibly.

The Indian Army has unveiled Prakshepan, a state-of-the-art Military Climatology Artificial Intelligence system designed to deliver highly accurate predictive disaster alerts, significantly enhancing operational preparedness and civil support capabilities in vulnerable regions.

Developed in-house by the Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS), the system, created through scientific collaboration with key national agencies including IMD, NCMRWF, CWC, NE-SAC, GSI and DGRE, integrates over 20 years of geospatial and weather data across 35+ static and dynamic parameters to deliver precise landslide, flood, and avalanche predictions.

Powered by an AI/ML model trained through more than 300 decision trees, Prakshepan provides highly accurate 3–7 day forecasts for any location through a user-friendly GIS interface. In Phase 1, the application supports landslide and avalanche predictions for Sikkim and flood forecasts for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Its capabilities enable seasonal and long-term disaster assessment, route optimisation, resource allocation, logistics planning, infrastructure safety, predictive maintenance, and rapid-response correlation matrices, while also integrating legacy disaster reports for improved future modelling.