India eyes human-centric AI development, tech collaborations with Japan, UK

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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who won a rare third consecutive term during national elections this year, said the South Asian nation aims for the human-centric development of artificial intelligence (AI) for its better future.

“During the G20 Summit hosted in India last year, we emphasised the importance of international governance in the field of AI,” Modi reportedly said at the G7 Outreach Session in Italy.

“In the future too, we will continue to work together with all countries to make AI transparent, fair, secure, accessible and responsible,” he added.

The G7 is an informal grouping of advanced democracies that meets annually to coordinate global economic policy and address other transnational issues. The G7 countries include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Although India is not part of the G7 countries, Modi participated in the G7 Outreach Summit this month at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. During the discussions at the G7 session, Modi spoke about AI and technology collaborations with Japan and the U.K., among other issues.

In March, India approved $1.24 billion for the next five years to boost the country’s AI ecosystem, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The initiative is expected to boost India’s global leadership in AI and ensure ethical and responsible AI deployment.

At the G7 session, talking on India’s AI Mission premised on “AI for All,” Modi emphasized that this technology should foster progress and well-being of all. With this broader objective in mind, India is fostering international collaboration as a founding member of Global Partnership for AI, Modi said in a statement released by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. He expressed that for technology to be successful, it had to be underpinned by a human-centric approach.

“It was a delight to meet [Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida] on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy,” Modi said. He added that the countries look forward to working together in technology, semiconductors, and digital technology, among other sectors.

In his discussions at the G7, Modi highlighted a wide range of subjects, notably the widespread usage of technology for human progress. The rise of technology in various aspects of human life has also reaffirmed the importance of cybersecurity. It is important that AI remain transparent, secure, accessible, and responsible, Modi said.

At the G7 Summit, Modi met French President Emmanuel Macron and spoke about issues including technology and AI, as well as how to encourage innovation and research among the youth, Modi said on X.

“It was a delight to meet [UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak] in Italy. I reiterated my commitment to further strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the third term of the NDA Government. There is great scope to deepen ties in sectors like semiconductors, technology and trade,” Modi said.

Earlier, India said it would release a draft regulatory framework for AI by July to use the technology for economic growth while setting up guardrails to prevent misuse. However, under the newly elected Modi government, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) is expected to present the initial draft of its AI policy in the next five to six months. Meity has been putting together a comprehensive framework for regulating AI, with supervision of deepfakes being an integral component.

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