Indra develops its own AI to tackle "hybrid warfare"

MadridIndra, the Spanish defense company in which the State holds a 28% stake, is climbing the ranks within the defense sector so that governments, but also companies, can face what has been dubbed "hybrid warfare". and that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has put it in the spotlight, especially in the European UnionThis is a form of warfare that departs from conventional attacks and involves sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks. It is in this context that Indra has developed its own artificial intelligence (AI) – a sovereign technology independent of third parties – to combat it. This Thursday, the company, chaired by Ángel Escribano, publicly presented IndraMind, the platform on which this AI will depend.

This platform will be marketed to countries and companies and will include not only advanced real-time visualization capabilities but also the ability to manage massive amounts of data, among other features. It is primarily implemented through software technology that can be adopted by militaries, but also by police forces or large companies that, for example, work with critical information and want to protect it from cyber threats, such as a bank or a utility (a company that provides an essential service). For its part, an army could use it in a combat zone and "anticipate" events, Indra argues, or in response to cyberattacks, attacks on critical infrastructure, or civil emergencies such as floods or fires; while the police could incorporate it in the context of civil society demonstrations or border control. The use of this platform will allow for instant information on what is happening and should also serve to make them more "resilient."

The company expects to earn 300 million euros from this business –IndraMind is, beyond the platform, one of the company's business areas– and has relocated 3,000 people to develop it. The bulk of the activity is concentrated in Madrid and Catalonia, as explained by IndraMind's CEO, Ignacio Martínez.

Indra's profits soar

However, at a time when public spending on defense is booming, Indra is seeing soaring profits. The defense and technology company, chaired by Ángel Escribano, earned €291 million between January and September 2025, 58% more than in the same period of the previous year, as reported this Thursday to the Spanish National Securities Market Commission (CNMV). In fact, the company, in which the State controls 28% of the capital, expects to exceed €10 billion in defense contracts in 2026, thanks primarily to the awarding of the Spanish government's Special Modernization Programs (PEM). Given this strong performance, Indra has announced a new Capital Markets Day with investors and analysts in the second quarter of 2026 (between April and June) to launch the second phase of its strategic plan. "The acceleration of the strategic plan prepares us to lead the delivery of special modernization programs, for which we are already mobilizing the entire industrial ecosystem [in Spain]," highlighted the company's CEO, José Vicente de los Mozos. Through September, the order book grew by 35% thanks to the consolidation and control of the TESS Defence consortium. The Ministry of Defense's 8x8 Dragon armored vehicle program stands out, though it has accumulated delays. De los Mozos emphasized "the progress of all business units, especially aerospace and defense." Through September, the company's revenue increased by 6% to €3.611 billion. By area, air traffic grew by 16%, defense by 14%, the subsidiary Minsait by 3%, and mobility by 1%. More consolidation

Beyond its core business, Indra is looking to strengthen its position by forging alliances with other companies, as has been the case with the Catalan firm Ficosa, but also through acquisitions. The Spanish defense company Escribano Mechanical & Engineering (EM&E Group), chaired by Javier Escribano, brother of Ángel Escribano, stands out in this regard. This acquisition, however, faces internal dissent. Specifically, independent board members Olga San Jacinto and Coloma Armero have expressed criticism of the potential acquisition, according to business sources speaking to ARA. These board members see a conflict of interest in the purchase, the same sources indicate, although the valuation of the company headed by Javier Escribano, which also holds a 14.3% stake in Indra, is also under scrutiny. In fact, both companies have hired various firms to study the merger. In any case, beyond Ángel Escribano's ambition, the purchase has the approval of the Spanish government, which wants to make Indra the Spanish "champion" of defense so that it can compete with other European companies.