Sarvam AI signs a five-year MoU with HQ IDS to develop indigenous defence AI capabilities (Image Courtesy: Sarvam AI)
NEW DELHI: Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence company Sarvam has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) under the Ministry of Defence to develop and deploy AI applications across the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
The agreement establishes an umbrella framework for AI projects spanning the three Services as well as joint, tri-service and integrated organisations under HQ IDS. Under the MoU, Sarvam will design, develop and deploy AI solutions for operational, training and decision-support requirements, and provide ongoing technical support.
Focus on Sovereign and Secure AI
HQ IDS stated that the partnership will concentrate on building secure, sovereign and scalable AI capabilities, with strong emphasis on data sovereignty and responsible AI-based solutions.
The framework will give the three Services and joint organisations access to common foundation models, agentic infrastructure, and geospatial and perception systems.
This shared technology layer is intended to allow lessons and capabilities developed for one Service to inform projects in the others.
Key application areas include decision support, target acquisition and data fusion across the sensor-to-shooter loop. Human oversight will be retained on operational decisions. The AI systems are to be built in India and deployed on sovereign infrastructure.
Role of Chanakya Division
The projects will be executed through Chanakya, Sarvam’s firewalled division dedicated to national security and defence work. The division will utilise the company’s AI stack, including foundation models such as Sarvam 105B.
Sarvam co-founder Pratyush Kumar noted that the partnership aligns with the company’s mission of building AI in India for India.
The MoU advances the Ministry of Defence’s push to develop indigenous military AI capabilities in collaboration with Indian technology partners.
By creating a common AI fabric across the Services, the initiative aims to improve interoperability, accelerate capability development and reduce dependence on foreign systems in critical defence applications.
Financial details of the agreement and specific project timelines have not been disclosed. The partnership represents a significant step in integrating domestic AI expertise into the modernisation efforts of the Indian Armed Forces.
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