US-India AI defence cooperation: Experts call for algorithmic warfare push
Synopsis
Warfare is no longer just about firepower — it's about data, algorithms, and software update cycles. At a Washington forum, senior US and Indian defence voices warned that both countries must restructure their institutions, share data, and co-develop AI systems or risk being outpaced by adversaries who already treat software as the decisive weapon.
Key Takeaways
Lt Gen (Retd) Raj Shukla declared that algorithmic warfare has arrived and will permanently change combat workflows.
Shukla cited Ukraine as a model, where software innovations are delivered every two weeks and hardware every four weeks .
Vivek Lall , CEO of General Atomics Global Cooperation , identified data sharing , training , and electromagnetic spectrum control as top joint priorities.
Shukla flagged a 28:1 cost asymmetry in intercept operations, underscoring the urgency of AI-driven solutions.
Both experts called the current moment "an inflection point" for US-India co-development and co-production.
India must break silos across civil, military, private sector, government, and academia , Shukla said.
The United States and India must urgently deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence and defence as modern warfare shifts from conventional arms to data, algorithms, and autonomous systems, experts said at a US-India forum in Washington on 9 May. Senior defence and industry voices warned that neither country can afford to move slowly as the character of conflict changes at unprecedented speed.
Algorithmic Warfare Has Arrived
Lt Gen (Retd) Raj Shukla said AI is no longer a future prospect on the battlefield.
Point of View
Hardware every four. Indian defence institutions, built on annual procurement cycles and inter-ministry silos, are structurally misaligned with that tempo. The 28:1 intercept cost asymmetry Shukla cited is not just a US problem; India's own air defence economics face similar pressure. The real question is whether the political will exists to restructure defence ministries as software organisations — a demand that cuts against decades of institutional culture on both sides. Co-development rhetoric has historically outrun co-production reality in the US-India relationship; this forum did not answer what is different this time.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did US and India experts say about AI and defence cooperation?
Senior US and Indian defence experts said at a Washington forum on 9 May that both countries must urgently deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, data sharing, and electromagnetic spectrum control as warfare shifts to algorithms and autonomous systems. They described the moment as an inflection point for co-development and co-production.
What is algorithmic warfare and why does it matter for India?
Algorithmic warfare refers to the use of AI, data, and software to drive battlefield decisions and operations. Lt Gen (Retd) Raj Shukla said it has already arrived and will permanently change how militaries fight, urging India to strengthen ideation and break down silos between its civil, military, and academic institutions.
What are the key areas identified for US-India defence AI cooperation?
Vivek Lall of General Atomics Global Cooperation identified data sharing, joint training, and control of the electromagnetic spectrum as the three priority areas. He also stressed the role of universities and vocational institutes in building the talent base needed to sustain the partnership.
What is the cost asymmetry problem Raj Shukla raised?
Shukla cited the example that for every $1 spent by Iran on an attack, it cost the United States $28 to intercept it. He argued this unsustainable ratio makes AI-driven, cost-efficient defence solutions a strategic necessity rather than an option.
How have US-India defence ties evolved in recent years?
The US and India have expanded defence cooperation over two decades through joint exercises, technology transfer agreements, and co-production frameworks. AI and autonomous systems have now become central to the bilateral agenda, with both nations investing in data infrastructure, unmanned platforms, and next-generation warfare capabilities.
