India is using artificial intelligence (AI) not to disrupt government but to improve it, the country's top digital official said in comments on how the world's largest democracy is turning algorithms into instruments of public service.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit, S. Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India, cited examples already deployed in the Asian country's public sector.

“In healthcare, AI systems are being used for chest X-ray diagnostics in rural clinics, and in urban management to detect potholes using rider data from food-delivery services,” he said.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

“We are talking about a governance model that is affordable, that is open-source, that enables innovation,” said S. Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Krishnan said this AI-for-governance model builds on India's Digital Public Infrastructure -the open frameworks behind Aadhaar and the Unified Payments Interface - to make new technologies both transparent and exportable.“Practically all of it is open-source; AI solutions built in India can be used in Africa and other regions without heavy licensing barriers.”

He urged policymakers to keep regulation flexible while innovation matures.“We are taking a positive mindset. Regulation should enable innovation - not stifle it. We have to trust our innovators, especially when they're solving for governance challenges that matter to millions."

Krishnan made his comments during a panel on 'building and diffusing responsible AI'. Baroness Joanna Shields, Executive Chair of the Responsible AI Future Foundation, concluded the panel saying that India's example offers a glimpse of“agentic governance”-a state that uses AI to deliver measurable benefits to citizens.

MENAFN03112025000049011007ID1110288656