India has set an ambitious goal to become a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2045. The government has initiated multiple strategies to address research, development, innovation, governance, standards setting, and accountability of AI. Key initiatives include the Ministry of Commerce's Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, NITI Aayog's National Programme on AI, and the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (#AIforAll).
The National Strategy for AI identifies five priority sectors: healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities and infrastructure, and smart mobility and transportation. It also outlines four key focus areas: ethics and policy, talent development, infrastructure and data, and industrial research and innovation.
India's AI strategy maintains the importance of ethical AI development. NITI Aayog has proposed seven principles for responsible AI: safety and reliability, equality, inclusivity and non-discrimination, privacy and security, transparency, accountability, and protection and reinforcement of positive human values.
A significant development in India's AI governance landscape was the passage of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act in August 2023. The Act provides for obligations of Data Fiduciaries and rights of Data Principals, as well as the establishment of a Data Protection Board of India. However, the Act includes exemptions for government bodies and law enforcement authorities, and the Board lacks the power to issue guidance or regulations.
The Indian government has conducted several public consultations on AI policy, including NITI Aayog's request for public comments on #AIforAll documents, the Department of Telecommunications' invitation for public input on India's AI Stack, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's publication of AI Committee reports.
India has engaged in several international AI initiatives, including endorsing the G20 AI Principles, adopting the UNESCO Recommendation on AI Ethics, becoming a founding member of the Global Partnership on AI, participating in the Quad Group's principles on technology, and endorsing the Bletchley Declaration at the AI Safety Summit.
Despite progress, India faces several challenges in its AI development. These include implementing the new data protection law, regulating rapidly expanding smart city initiatives, addressing human rights concerns related to AI applications, ensuring ethical use of AI in education technology, balancing AI development with privacy concerns (particularly regarding the Aadhaar identity system), and India's non-committal position on the regulation of lethal autonomous weapons.
This country report is our interpretation and summary of the "CAIDP Artificial Intelligence & Democratic Values Index 2023". The full report can be found here - https://www.caidp.org/reports/aidv-2023/