Air Marshal Tejinder Singh flags AI warfare preparedness at Pune seminar
Synopsis
India's top tri-service military leadership gathered in Pune to deliberate on AI-driven warfare, with CISC Air Marshal Tejinder Singh stressing indigenous AI capabilities and jointness — signalling a doctrinal shift in how the Indian Armed Forces are preparing for the next era of conflict.
Key Takeaways
Air Marshal Tejinder Singh , CISC, addressed a seminar on 'AI vs AI: New Frontier of Warfare' at the Military Institute of Technology, Pune on 15 November 2026 .
The three-day programme covered Sovereign AI , AI-enabled Weapon Systems , Autonomous Systems , and Human-Machine Teaming .
Industry showcase 'Navonmesh' highlighted cutting-edge AI technologies and their potential military applications.
Air Marshal Singh also visited the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla , reviewing training infrastructure and interacting with cadets.
Exercise AJHE26 is set for Air Force Station Jamnagar from 17–19 November 2026 , involving Indian forces, NDMA, Coast Guard, and friendly foreign nations.
Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), on 15 November 2026 underscored the strategic centrality of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping future military capabilities, speaking at a defence seminar in Pune. The event, part of a three-day Capsule on Science, Technology and Applied Research Programme at the Military Institute of Technology, brought together tri-service leadership, technology experts, academia, and industry leaders to deliberate on AI's growing role in modern warfare.
The Seminar and Its Theme
Themed 'AI vs AI: New Frontier of Warfare', the seminar was organised by the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) Headquarters and covered a wide range of emerging subjects, including Sovereign AI, AI-enabled Weapon Systems, Autonomous and Counter-Autonomous Systems, Human-Machine Teaming, and Decision Superiority in Multi-Domain Operations. Subject Matter Experts drawn from the Armed Forces, academia, and the private sector led the sessions, according to the IDS Headquarters.
Navonmesh: Industry Innovation on Display
A key highlight of the seminar was 'Navonmesh' — subtitled 'Where You Meet Innovation and New Ideas' — where leading industry partners showcased cutting-edge AI technologies, innovative solutions, and their potential military applications. The showcase reinforced the emphasis on indigenous technological capabilities and the need for closer collaboration between the Armed Forces, academia, and industry in preparing for the evolving challenges of future warfare.
Visit to National Defence Academy
Earlier in the day, Air Marshal Singh visited the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla, Pune, where he reviewed key training infrastructure, the curriculum, and forthcoming development projects aimed at enhancing the training environment. He also visited the outdoor tactical training site and interacted with cadets undergoing camp training, gaining direct insights into their professional development experiences.
Addressing the cadets, he urged them to uphold the highest traditions of military ethos, imbibe the core values of discipline, integrity, and dedication, and foster the spirit of jointness. He also called on them to strive for professional excellence and prepare to shoulder future responsibilities, carrying forward the legacy of one of India's most distinguished military leadership institutions.
AJHE26 Exercise Announced
Separately, the Indian Air Force announced that exercise AJHE26 is set to commence at Air Force Station Jamnagar from 17 to 19 November 2026. The exercise will bring together the Indian Defence Forces, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Indian Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries, with the stated aim of strengthening joint preparedness and coordination in disaster response. This comes as the Indian military continues to sharpen its inter-agency and multinational coordination frameworks alongside its AI-focused doctrinal evolution.
Point of View
And convening tri-service leadership alongside industry and academia is a structural step toward closing that gap. The emphasis on 'Sovereign AI' is particularly significant: it signals an awareness that dependence on foreign AI platforms in contested domains is a strategic vulnerability. Whether the Navonmesh industry showcase translates into defence procurement, however, is the question mainstream coverage tends to skip. Seminar-to-system timelines in India's defence acquisition cycle have rarely matched the urgency of the rhetoric.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the AI seminar held in Pune about?
The seminar, themed 'AI vs AI: New Frontier of Warfare', was organised as part of a three-day Capsule on Science, Technology and Applied Research Programme at the Military Institute of Technology in Pune on 15 November 2026. It brought together tri-service leadership, defence technology experts, academia, and industry to deliberate on AI's role in future warfare, covering topics such as Sovereign AI, AI-enabled Weapon Systems, and Human-Machine Teaming.
Who is Air Marshal Tejinder Singh and what did he say?
Air Marshal Tejinder Singh is the Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), the senior-most tri-service coordination role in India's military structure. At the Pune seminar, he highlighted the strategic significance of AI in shaping future military capabilities and operational preparedness, and later at the NDA urged cadets to uphold military ethos, discipline, and the spirit of jointness.
What is Navonmesh at the Pune defence seminar?
Navonmesh, subtitled 'Where You Meet Innovation and New Ideas', was an industry showcase held as part of the seminar where leading defence and technology partners demonstrated cutting-edge AI technologies and their potential applications in military operations. It was designed to foster collaboration between the Armed Forces, academia, and the private sector.
What is exercise AJHE26 and when does it take place?
AJHE26 is a joint exercise set to commence at Air Force Station Jamnagar from 17 to 19 November 2026. It will involve the Indian Defence Forces, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Indian Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries, with the aim of strengthening joint preparedness and coordination in disaster response.
Why did Air Marshal Tejinder Singh visit the National Defence Academy in Pune?
Air Marshal Singh visited the NDA at Khadakwasla, Pune, to review key training infrastructure, the curriculum, and forthcoming development projects. He also interacted with cadets undergoing camp training and addressed them on military values, professional excellence, and the importance of jointness in modern defence.
