Context:

India recently announced comprehensive guidelines for governance of AI, proposed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the IndiaAI Mission,

Key features of the Guidelines:

Seven “Sutras” (Guiding Principles)

The moral foundation of the framework rests on seven guiding principles or sutras, ensuring balance between innovation and safety:

1.       Trust is Fundamental – Public trust through the AI value chain.

2.      People First – Human oversight and ethical design.

3.      Fairness and Equity – Reduce bias, promote inclusion.

4.     Innovation over Restraints – Encourage experimentation responsibly.

5.     Accountability – Clear roles for developers, deployers, and regulators.

6.     Understandable by Design – AI should be explainable and transparent.

7.      Safety, Resilience & Sustainability – Ensure reliability and environmental responsibility.

These sutras create the ethical base for India’s vision of “AI for All” and Viksit Bharat 2047.

Six Pillars of Governance:

The framework structures its recommendations around six key pillars:

1.       Infrastructure: Expanding GPU clusters (38,000 GPUs), creating AI Kosh (a national AI repository), and offering subsidized access to compute resources.

2.      Capacity Building: Training citizens and officials via IndiaAI FutureSkills and FutureSkills PRIME, focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

3.      Policy and Regulation: Using existing laws (IT Act, DPDP Act, Consumer Protection Act) instead of a new AI law, with regular reviews.

4.     Risk Mitigation: Establishing a national AI Incident Database to log deepfakes, algorithmic bias, and other AI-related harms.

5.     Accountability: Forming three core institutions —

o    AI Governance Group (AIGG) for policy coordination.

o    Technology & Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) for expert input.

o    AI Safety Institute (AISI) for testing and certification.

6.     Institutions: AISI will act as India’s AI watchdog, ensuring safety standards, bias mitigation, and representation in global forums.

3. Action Plan: Short, Medium, Long Term

The guidelines set out a phased roadmap:

• • Short-term (0-2 years): Establish institutional bodies; develop India-specific risk frameworks; finalize liability regimes & grievance mechanisms; build sectoral capacity.
  • Medium/Long-term (5+ years): Institutionalise AI safety testing and certification; align domestic norms with international standards; deepen India’s leadership role (especially for the Global South) in “AI for All”.

Implications for India:

Opportunities:

• • • Positions India as a global AI governance model for emerging economies.
    • Encourages inclusive innovation and capacity building across all sectors.
    • Boosts digital trust and ethical AI adoption.

Challenges:

• • • Ensuring effective implementation and coordination among new institutions.
    • Addressing the fast pace of AI innovation without slowing growth.
    • Managing voluntary compliance since no standalone AI law exists.
    • Balancing data access for startups and protecting user privacy.

Conclusion:

India's AI Governance Guidelines are a significant step towards ensuring responsible innovation and development of AI in the country. The guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for AI governance, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and safety. By adopting a flexible and adaptive approach, India can promote innovation while protecting its citizens and ensuring that AI benefits society as a whole.