India Gears Up for Landmark ‘AI in Defence & Aerospace’ Pre-Summit in Bengaluru

Bengaluru | Jan 19 : 

As India accelerates its push towards strategic autonomy in critical technologies, Bengaluru will host a first-of-its-kind high-level conference on Artificial Intelligence in Defence and Aerospace on January 23, setting the tone for the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026. 

Jointly hosted by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Globals ITES Private Limited, the one-day pre-summit event will bring together India’s top defence leaders, policymakers, scientists, and industry experts to deliberate on the transformative role of AI in modern warfare, aerospace systems, space security, autonomous platforms, and cyber defence.

To be held at the BEL Academy of Excellence, Nalanda, Bengaluru, the event assumes special significance as it marks one of the earliest structured national dialogues exclusively focused on operationalising trusted AI for military, defence, space, and cyber domains. 

With rapid advancements in AI reshaping battlefields, satellite operations, drone warfare, and cyber deterrence, the summit aims to bridge the gap between policy, research, and real-world deployment of AI systems.

The curtain-raiser event is positioned as a strategic precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for February, and reflects India’s growing emphasis on secure, explainable, indigenous, and mission-ready AI systems. 

As a Navratna defence PSU, BEL’s leadership in electronics, radar, communication, and defence systems, combined with Globals’ expertise in cyber security, digital engineering and AI-driven platforms, makes this collaboration particularly significant for the country’s defence-technology ecosystem.

The conference will feature keynote addresses, curated technical sessions, moderated Q&A interactions, and product demonstrations, focusing on how AI can enhance decision superiority, resilience, deterrence, and national security while ensuring human oversight, ethical deployment, and strategic restraint.

Why This Summit Matters

* First focused AI–Defence–Aerospace pre-summit aligned to India AI Impact Summit 2026

* Direct participation of senior military leadership, DRDO, ISRO, and defence PSUs

* Emphasis on trusted, explainable, and deployable AI, not just prototypes

* Strong focus on indigenisation, cybersecurity, space security, and autonomous systems

* Bengaluru reaffirmed as India’s defence-AI and aerospace innovation hub

Key Speakers

* Mr.Suhas Gopinath - CEO, Globals

* Lt Gen M U Nair (Retd.) – Former National Cybersecurity Coordinator, NSCS

* Maj Gen V T Mathew – General Officer Commanding, Karnataka & Kerala Sub Area

* Dr.Anup Rai - Executive Director, CRL, BEL 

* Dr. B K Das – DG, ECS, DRDO

* Shri Manoj Jain – CMD, BEL

* Gp. Capt.R N Joshi, IAF 

* Dr.Dilip Krishnaswamy, EVP & Board Member, CDOT

* Dr. Anupam Sharma – DSP, DRDO

*Shri Vinod Kumar – Director, IN-SPACe

* Shri Vinay Simha – CEO, SkyServe

* Mr.Tanveer Ahmed – CTO, Digantara

* Dr.Rituraj Kumar, Director, CAIR 

* Air Cmde Sandeep Sathyapathy VSM (Retd.) – Head of BD (Defence & Strategic Partnerships), CISCO

* Mrs.Ritika Agni, Co-founder, Garuda Aerospace

* Cmde. Atul Deswal – Deputy DG & CISO, Navy Cyber Group, Indian Navy

* Dr. Rajiv Chetwani – Director, DISM, ISRO

* AVM Dr. Devesh Vatsa VSM (Retd.) – Advisor, Cyber Security & Critical Technologies, DSCI

* Mr. Tejas Narayana – Director R&D, Globals

* Mrs. Amruta Desai – Executive Director, Globals

Core Themes & Topics

* AI in defence and aerospace 

* Operationalizing trusted AI for India's warfighting systems 

* From prototype to platform : integrating AI into deployed military systems 

* AI for decision superiority in air operations 

* AI for resilient battlefield networks: communications that adopt, survive, and self optimise 

* AI for secure satellite communications 

* Autonomous satellite operations using AI 

* From automation to autonomy : India's road map for intelligent UAVs

* Resilient AI architectures for drone swarms and counter-UAS systems

* Indigenizing AI drone technologies

With national security, technological sovereignty, and future warfare at the core of its agenda, the AI in Defence & Aerospace Pre-Summit is set to emerge as a defining platform for India’s AI-powered defence roadmap—laying the intellectual and strategic groundwork for the India AI Impact Summit 2026.