India, July 29 -- With defence emerging as one of AI's most sensitive applications, a blend of innovation and responsibility is vital. India is laying the groundwork for responsible use of AI in defence, which is being led by key institutions like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), NITI Aayog, and ministry of electronics and IT (MeitY).

To ensure ethical oversight, the DRDO launched the ETAI framework for evaluating trustworthy AI. At its essence, the framework aims to tackle difficult questions such as legality, safety, and human control, right from the start of a system's development and through its lifecycle.

The framework is modular, incorporating internal ethical assessments and formalised reviews based on th...