The Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, inaugurated a conference on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) jointly organised by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies in New Delhi on May five, 2026. The event brought together senior military leaders, policymakers, scientists, medical experts, industry representatives, start-ups and academics.

The Director General of the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, Major General (Dr) Ashok Kumar (retd), highlighted the transformative potential of neural technologies and explained that the Brain-Computer Interface enables neural signals to be translated into meaningful actions and outcomes. He noted that development will require multidisciplinary collaboration.

The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, emphasised the growing convergence between human cognition and computational systems and noted that the traditional distinction is increasingly merging. The Professor and Head of the Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at IIT Delhi, Dr T. K. Gandhi, observed that BCI has moved rapidly from concept to scientific reality with applications widening across civilian welfare and warfare.

Technical sessions addressed the current status of BCI, its medical and technological dimensions and strategic defence applications. The Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical), Air Marshal S Shankar, presented an overview of present and future technologies. Delegates from IIT Delhi, the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing and start-ups outlined ongoing research, indigenous innovation and pathways for integration. Discussions covered ethical considerations, human-machine integration, neuro-security and the role of BCI in enhancing operational efficiency, rehabilitation and decision-making in complex operational environments.

A panel of senior defence officials, scientists and industry leaders explored military uses of BCI, including augmentation of cognitive capabilities, improved human performance and reinforcement of command-and-control systems. 10 start-ups demonstrated devices and technologies. The seminar concluded with a call for sustained collaboration among the Armed Forces, academia, industry and research organisations to harness BCI for national security and societal benefit.