Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 31 (ANI): General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), visited the Headquarters of the Southern Command to assess its operational preparedness, ongoing capability development, and modernisation initiatives.

During the visit, the Chief of Army Staff was briefed on Southern Command's efforts to strengthen Multi-Domain Operations capability, accelerate technology absorption, and ensure integrated combat readiness across all types of operations.

The COAS praised the professionalism and dedication of all ranks, urging them to remain focused on their mission, maintain operational agility, and continue striving for excellence in all duties.

Earlier, General Dwivedi on Saturday underscored the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern warfare, saying it plays a crucial role in enabling faster decision-making and managing the increasing complexity of battlefield operations.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the Passing Out Parade of the 150th Course at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune, General Dwivedi said AI has become essential as armed forces deal with vast resources and rapidly evolving combat situations. Explaining the need for AI-driven systems, the Army Chief said the speed of modern warfare demands quicker and more informed decisions.

'Artificial Intelligence, as we look into -- why it is required. When you have resources which are beyond your control, you can't manage them all in one go. Secondly, there is an OODA cycle -- Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. When you are superimposed with more than one cycle, how do you act? Therefore, when the velocity of warfare is very high, you need additional support within your resources to make decisions faster. In this particular case, we have the SLMs and LLMs,' he said.

General Dwivedi said these technologies help optimise the use of resources and improve operational efficiency on the battlefield. Highlighting the growing use of drones in military operations, the Army Chief said armed forces must be equipped with both offensive and defensive drone capabilities. He added that automation and Al are becoming indispensable in handling the scale and complexity of modern warfare. (ANI)