ISLAMABAD, Feb 16 (APP): The speakers at a seminar Friday stressed that the indigenisation and technological sovereignty would be key to the development and evolution of the country’s defence, amid rapidly emerging technologies.
This was the crux of seminar — ‘Shifting Battlefields: Impact of Emerging Technologies on the Character of Warfare in South Asia’ which was hosted by Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS). It was attended by experts from the defence and academic sectors to discuss the transformative role of emerging technologies in modern warfare, with a particular focus on South Asia, a news release said.
The seminar underscored the urgent need for the country to embrace indigenisation and support homegrown technologies for enhanced national security and defence autonomy. As emerging technologies continue to reshape the landscape
of modern warfare, strategic, policy-oriented approaches are essential for the country to deal with the challenges and
opportunities, presented by this new era of conflict.
Air Marshal Farooq Habib (Retd), Senior Director at CASS, opened the seminar by stressing the complexity and unpredictability of technological evolution in military contexts. He emphasised the necessity for Pakistan’s defence sector to adapt and evolve in response to these advancements to maintain strategic and tactical superiority.
Lieutenant General Aamer Riaz (Retd), former President of the National Defense University, in his Keynote Address, underscored the profound influence of technological advancements on the character of warfare. He predicted a technological upheaval, highlighting the need for strategic adaptation to innovations in space, cyber, AI, and more.
He called for a revision of traditional warfare strategies to include emerging technologies that were redefining conflict dynamics.
Fawad Zahir, a defence and strategic studies expert, focused on the importance of air-power, enhanced by big data analysis, quantum computing, and Machine Learning.
He urged for robust civilian-military collaboration to harness technological advancements for defence purposes. Fawad also strongly advocated strategic investment in technologies that aligned with Pakistan’s core defence requirements,
given the country’s budgetary constraints.
Prof. Dr Yasar Ayaz, Chairman/CPD of the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionise warfare, marking it the third major evolution after gunpowder and nuclear power.
He stressed the importance of indigenous development of AI technologies to ensure strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty, highlighting the need for a balance between innovation and regulatory oversight.
Khawaja Mohammad Ali, a cyber security, data privacy, and digital forensics expert, delineated the critical role of cyber operations in modern conflict, advocating for the establishment of a national cyber-security authority; extensive
training and awareness programmes; cyber diplomacy; and indigenous development in cyber-security solutions.
Senior journalist and columnist Zarar Khurro, focused on the strategic importance of narrative building in the context of advanced technological warfare. He discussed the long-term process of narrative construction, facilitated by technology,
pointing to the need for authenticity and the significant impact of social media on public opinion.
President CASS-Islamabad, Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan (Retd), in his concluding remarks, reiterated the critical importance of first-shot capability in modern warfare, driven by advancements in sensors and detection technologies. He called for an indigenisation strategy that supports the development of homegrown technologies, ensuring that Pakistan’s defence sector remains competitive and innovative.
The presentations were followed by active participation from a diverse audience, including retired military officers, scholars, journalists, and students, who engaged in an interactive Question and Answer session, further enriching the
discourse on this critical subject.
