The paper outlines India’s increasing adoption of AI, the strategic relevance of the IndiaAI Mission, and the growing prominence of AI in administrative, industrial, and policy settings. It also reflects on the tension between innovation and governance that characterises India’s current regulatory moment.
The full paper elaborates on how these tensions may influence the next phase of policy development.
2. Mapping the AI Ecosystem
A detailed account is provided of the key actors shaping AI in India, including:
- Parliament and central ministries
- NITI Aayog and its strategic frameworks
- MeitY and its advisory, regulatory, and mission-driven interventions
- State governments implementing sector-specific AI programmes
- AI startups, domestic deep-tech initiatives, and industry leaders
- Academic institutions and public–private research partnerships
- Civil society organisations contributing rights-based and ethical perspectives
The complete publication analyses how these stakeholders interact, converge, or diverge across policy priorities.
3. Regulatory and Policy Developments
The report reviews foundational policies such as the DPDP Act, IndiaAI Mission components, AI advisories, governance guidelines, and early proposals for institutional oversight.
The full analysis examines how these instruments may shape compliance, innovation, and institutional coordination in the coming years.
4. Government Focus Areas
The publication discusses national priorities related to compute capacity, data governance, sectoral applications, innovation incentives, workforce development, and public-sector use cases.
Further discussion in the paper considers the adequacy and long-term sustainability of these measures.
5. AI Impact Summit 2026
A brief overview is provided of India’s convening role and its efforts to engage with global partners.
The complete report assesses the implications of this engagement for India’s position in global AI governance.
6. Challenges and Opportunities
The study identifies regulatory gaps, infrastructure limitations, capacity constraints, and risks related to bias, exclusion, and opacity, alongside opportunities for economic growth, public-sector efficiency, and technological leadership.
The extended analysis in the full report explores these challenges in a sector-specific manner.
7. India in the Global AI Regulatory Landscape
India’s approach is contextualised through comparisons with the EU, US, China, and the UK.
The complete publication discusses where India’s strategy aligns with global trends and where it diverges in meaningful ways.
8. Conclusion
The paper closes with observations on the direction of AI governance in India and identifies areas requiring further inquiry, institutional development, and policy refinement.
The concluding section of the full report raises several strategic considerations that are not fully outlined in this summary.
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This summary highlights only selected elements of the research. The full paper contains detailed analyses, comparative assessments, policy interpretations, and sectoral evaluations that provide a more complete understanding of India’s AI landscape.
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