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As India moves in its efforts to become a moral and strategic leader in the Military Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is important to evaluate where we stand globally. In an earlier article, we noticed how India rolled out the outlines such as DRDO’s ETAI and large -scale Indiaai mission, which lays groundwork for AI responsible, transparent and effective adoption in defense. We also saw that pressing needs to convert strong paper policies into real -world practice, which is moving beyond the agency Silos for moral rule.
Globally, the debate around AI has gone beyond innovation only in military. It now focuses on morality, rules and beliefs. Whether it is NATO Capital, G7 Forum, Pentagon briefing, or United Nations (UN) meetings, the country finds itself returning to the same fundamental questions: who is responsible, how human monitoring will be used, and how do we ensure that AI systems are reliable, interpretable and accountable?
Within NATO, members-states signed six guiding principles for responsible use of AI in defense in 2021 (amended in 2024)-Including strict commitments to exemption, responsibility and accountability, clarity and traceability, reliability, credibility, governance and prejudice. These were domestic concerns, not externally installed.
The US formalized its moral principles for AI in 2020, following a wide input from civil society and industry. Its five central values – responsibility, equity, traceability, credibility, and governance – are now manufactured in purchase and deployment at every level. For example, traceability means how to track not only how an AI reaches a decision, but also equip the commanders to understand those decisions on the battlefield. The government ensures that, on any signal of AI being wicked, humans maintain it a reliable way to step and close it. All these principles directed by morality are applied by contract, project review and documented audit.
The United Nations has also taken a call. Since 2016, a group of government experts (GGE) on deadly autonomous arms systems (laws) have debated the possible new rules for weapons that can choose and attach goals on their own. While a treaty still has not emerged, GGE signed an agreement on eleven guiding principles in 2019: International Human Laws should apply to all arms systems, and meaningful human control and legal accountability are non-oblique.
India’s voice has always been balanced and practical in these talks. Instead of supporting the total ban on autonomous weapons, India has argued that we should do justice to any technology with its real use and impact, not only that it is autonomous. Indian representatives have also highlighted a basic issue: there is no universally accepted definition of fatal autonomous weapons, so a rigid treaty can now occur prematurely.
Turning to Europe, the European Union has recently enacted a law to regulate AI with requirements based on the level of risk. This is expected to set up a global standard for AI regime, similarly the European Union General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR) affected data secrecy worldwide. Defense, however, is a carving-out: Article 2 (3) says the law does not apply to the AI system purely for military or national security purposes.
Back home, India’s approach is still young but moving in the right direction. Defense AI Council (DAIC) and Defense AI Project Agency (DAIPA) have intensified efforts to bring reliable AI into services. The ETAI structure of DRDO determines clear rules: reliability, security, transparency, fairness and privacy. These principles guide how AI is formed, tested, and used, resonates the values expressed by Neeti A. Yoga around accountability and inclusion. Despite having strong institutional support, however, the enforcement is still mostly through internal standards and practices and not laws. He said, India is not alone in this view. America weaves moral principles in acquisitions and contracts; NATO AI creates tests and verification boards; The European Union form a formal appearance to principles (although mostly for non-monitor uses). India has all the right institutions- Committee, DRDO, Daic- but it needs to take the next steps from policy to enforceability.
Looking forward, India can seize three opportunities. First of all, embedded moral principles in purchasing and perineogen protocols for all military AI systems. Second, form a permanent AI Inter-agency commission with representation from all major stakeholders such as the Armed Forces, DRDO, Meity, and legal experts. Third, be deeply involved in shaping global standards; To help establish not only from the perspective of protecting your own interests, but also to establish them. In a world where citizens and military AIs are internal, and the abilities are growing rapidly, it is not enough to try to regulate after the fact. India has a chance to lead with a strong, clear and applied structure that balances safety with morality. In the new era of military AI, trusts, transparency and clear rules are not limited, they are the correct source of strategic power.
This article is written by Zain Pandit, partner and Asha Nahar, Associate, JSA advocates and Solicitor.
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