Gaganyaan astronaut has a warning about India's AI sovereignty
What's the story
Gaganyaan astronaut and Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair has emphasized the importance of AI sovereignty in ensuring national cybersecurity. He made the remarks at the Kerala Cyber Suraksha Summit 2026, organized by Kerala Startup Mission and F9 Infotech. Nair said that as artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent, it is increasingly difficult to differentiate between authentic and fake content.
Sovereignty significance
'Cybersecurity of little value without AI ownership'
Nair stressed that cybersecurity would be of little value unless India owns and controls AI technologies.
He said, "It is very important that we have AI sovereignty, and any amount of cybersecurity will be of no avail unless we own AI."
The astronaut also warned that future wars and industries would require a "whole-of-nation approach," blurring the lines between physical and digital boundaries.
Digital integration
Nair warns of digital threats
Nair also highlighted the need to be more aware of cybersecurity and digital threats as AI, cyber technology, and the digital environment become more integrated into our daily lives.
He said, "We are all using digital and now AI is coming. We forget which is real and which is fake."
The astronaut stressed the importance of ensuring digital security in today's world.
Tech achievements
Nair praises India's technological prowess
Nair also praised India's technological prowess, citing the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission that landed near the Moon's south pole in August 2023.
He said, "Remember that we all are Indians and we have that power. We are the ones who on 23 August 2023 put Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon, which nobody else has done."
The astronaut also stressed India's contribution to the global software ecosystem and urged for further development in AI, cybersecurity, and digital technology.