Iran War: India Must Raise Guardrails Against US Tech

US military operations have used Anthropic AI tools and Starlink in Iran operations, raising concerns globally

By MANISH ANAND

New Delhi, March 2, 2026 — Multipolarity in the world is arguably a myth that India has fed to the people for decades. Eastern Axis arguably is also a geopolitics balloon conveniently foisted. China and Russia have shown poise of perfected meditation while the US stormed Venezuela and Iran. The United Nations is now a laughingstock.

India has dropped indications in plenty to indicated that New Delhi is on the sides of Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phone calls make that apparent. The US is the big Daddy of the UAE and Israel. That leaves no doubt that India is now in an American axis.

Two revealing aspects of America’s war against Iran must worry India immediately. The US used disrupter AI startup Anthropic tools to sweep first into Venezuela to “arrest Nicolás Maduro” and then for the military operations against Iran. The US used the AI tools to hack the popular prayer App in Iran to track down the top leadership of the Islamic Republic.

That Pentagon banned Anthropic just a few hours before launching Iran military operations after the startup AI refused “full access to all tools for mass surveillance and military purposes” should serve as loud ringing alarm bell. OpenAI of Sam Altman of ChatGPT fame replaced Anthropic for American military should make the risks clearer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had almost forced Altman and Dario Amodei to raise hands in solidarity at New Delhi AI Impact Summit. They had raised hands that crossed each other with fists.

Reports have claimed that Russia is anguished to find out the use of Starlink in the military operations in Iran. Starlink transmitters were reportedly installed in American jets during their operations.

American tech and the US military are evidently partners. To embrace American tech with lax regulations must be seen as sleepwalking into the bullying net of Washington. American-owned social media platforms have already become tools of information disrupters in India. American AI platforms and Starlink are the next in the line.

One may be rightly dismayed to find that Parliament has not bothered to weigh the tech risks staring at India. One may also further be alarmed that AI czars were hailed with red carpets by the mainstream India, and their CEOs went away after giving lectures while not facing questions that must have agitated informed minds.

(This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are author’s own.)

Iran War: A New World Order Takes Shape With Israel at Its Core

Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save

About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

See author's posts