Visakhapatnam: Future wars may be fought with Artificial Intelligence, but they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers and robust military power, Defence Minister Rajanth Singh said on Saturday.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of INS Mahendragiri here, Singh also said Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a new powerhouse of India’s defence and aerospace manufacturing.
Highlighting the government’s balanced approach towards defence modernisation, Singh said India is investing in next-generation technologies while simultaneously strengthening conventional military capabilities.
He cited Operation Sindoor as an example of the effective integration of conventional and modern capabilities to safeguard national security.
“Future wars may be fought with Artificial Intelligence, but they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers and the capable military power. So, I would say that new technologies and conventional platforms are not opposed to each other, but supplement each other, complete each other. Without conventional platforms, new technologies are incomplete in themselves,” he said.
According to Singh, it is certain that new technologies have reshaped warfare, but they have not diminished the role of conventional warfare means.
The strong conventional capability that is still necessary for the fulfilment of basic principles of war is as important as it was before.
Emphasising that maritime security and economic security are closely interconnected, Singh said the seas remain vital for trade, supply chains, energy security and economic growth.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision in the Indo-Pacific.
Calling India a net security provider and trusted regional partner, Singh said the Indian Navy has consistently demonstrated its commitment through humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, anti-piracy missions and the evacuation of Indian and foreign nationals from conflict-hit regions, earning recognition as both a first responder and a preferred security partner.
Referring to the Indian Navy’s role during the recent West Asia conflict, Singh said under Operation Urja Suraksha, the Navy safely escorted 18 merchant vessels carrying essential cargo valued at more than Rs 9,000 crore, highlighting its role in protecting not only national security but also India’s economic interests.
The defence minister said the successful induction of the warship demonstrates India’s growing capability to design, build and deploy complex frontline combat platforms through indigenous expertise.
The warship is equipped with an indigenous rocket launcher, torpedo launchers, an Integrated Anti-Submarine Defence System, an Electronic Warfare suite and a Close-In Weapon System, making it a formidable and resilient combat platform capable of operating in challenging maritime environments.
Describing INS Mahendragiri as a “blue-water warship”, Singh said it can effectively counter threats from the air, enemy vessels on the surface and submarines hidden beneath the sea, and can protect India’s maritime interests not only near the coastline but also in distant and deep oceans during prolonged deployments.
The union minister said the commissioning of Mahendragiri comes at a time when the nature of warfare is rapidly evolving with the emergence of drones, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, hypersonic weapons, space-based capabilities and unmanned systems.
However, he stressed that conventional military capabilities continue to remain the bedrock of effective national defence.
The Union Minister described INS Mahendragiri as a symbol of the nation’s commitment to building a technologically advanced and combat-ready Navy capable of meeting future security challenges while protecting India’s maritime interests.
He expressed confidence that INS Mahendragiri would further strengthen India’s maritime strategy by enhancing the security of the eastern seaboard, extending the country’s blue-water operational reach and reinforcing its presence across the Indian Ocean Region.
Singh said indigenous warship construction goes beyond building combat platforms as it strengthens design capability, technological expertise, skilled manpower and the broader maritime industrial ecosystem.
He noted that shipbuilding supports sectors including steel, electronics, sensors, propulsion systems, software, precision engineering and logistics while generating employment and fostering innovation.
Reiterating the government’s vision to establish India as a global hub for shipbuilding and maritime defence innovation, the Union Minister said initiatives such as Maritime India Vision 2030, the Maritime Development Fund, the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme and the Shipbuilding Development Scheme are aimed at modernising ports, expanding inland waterways, strengthening logistics networks, enhancing industrial capacity and boosting self-reliance.
He also called upon young entrepreneurs, engineers, innovators, researchers and investors to contribute to nation-building by developing advanced technologies and defence systems that would shape future warfare and strengthen India’s self-reliance in the defence sector.
Singh said the induction of Mahendragiri marks another milestone in India’s journey towards defence self-reliance and strengthens the Navy’s operational capability in safeguarding the country’s maritime interests across the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
