Sovereign AI Holds Control, Solutions For India's Real Challenges, Says Policymakers

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Sovereignty in artificial intelligence will give India control over how systems are designed, deployed and governed and be used to solve healthcare, education, agriculture and financial‐inclusion challenges so citizens can access services in their own languages, senior policy makers said on Tuesday at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Abhishek Singh, Director General, National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), reminded that sovereign AI does not mean working in isolation, adding that sovereign AI will improve access of services to citizens and improve their quality of life, according to an official statement.

Rishi Bal, Chief Executive Officer, BharatGen, said AI adoption must be phased and begin with priority areas such as governance, citizen services and finance, adding that shared digital infrastructure and common models will enable faster, safer innovation, the statement from Ministry of Electronics & IT said.

He added that AI sovereignty requires the creation of a national ecosystem of models and infrastructure that can be widely used, while also enabling startups to innovate, reminding such an ecosystem requires collaborative efforts across the country.

Senior officials made the comments at the session titled“Scaling Impact from India's Sovereign AI and Data”. The session focused on how India can move from being primarily a consumer of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to becoming a creator of AI systems with global relevance.

The discussion highlighted the need to address gaps in deep research talent and long-term innovation investment. The panel emphasised that true AI capacity is built through sustained research ecosystems and strong mentorship, rather than through short-term interventions.

The session also linked advanced AI research to national priorities such as financial inclusion, agriculture, healthcare, and education. The speakers noted that AI must be aligned with India's development goals to deliver meaningful and inclusive outcomes, the statement said.

The five-day summit, which ends on February 20, is expected to witness participation of over 100 government representatives, including more than 20 heads of state, 60 ministers and vice ministers, along with over 500 global AI leaders comprising CEOs, founders, academicians, researchers, CTOs and philanthropic organisations.

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