Can India shape the machine age’s moral compass?
In every civilisational turning point, nations are tested not merely by their technological prowess but by the values they embed within that technology. Artificial intelligence is one such moment. As algorithms increasingly influence governance, healthcare, finance, education and warfare, the world is not just asking who builds AI - it is asking who guides it.
India’s articulation of “AI for People, Planet & Progress” is not a slogan. It is a philosophical positioning. In a global landscape where AI leadership has largely been framed as a contest between superpowers, India is attempting to redefine the narrative: from dominance to democratisation, from profit to purpose.
But can this vision genuinely shape global AI governance?
India’s strength lies in its paradox. It is both a technological powerhouse and a developing nation grappling with scale. With one of the world’s largest digital public infrastructures — Aadhaar, UPI, and a thriving start-up ecosystem — India has already demonstrated how technology can leapfrog legacy barriers. Its model of digital public goods has attracted attention across the Global South. If AI is layered onto this foundation with intent and inclusion, India’s voice could carry moral authority in global forums.
However, aspiration must confront reality.
India’s regulatory framework for AI is still evolving. The emphasis so far has leaned towards enabling innovation — encouraging start-ups, fostering research, and attracting investment. This is essential. Overregulation at an early stage could stifle growth. Yet the absence of clear accountability frameworks raises questions about bias, surveillance, data privacy and algorithmic transparency.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act is a start, but AI governance demands sector-specific safeguards and enforceable ethical standards.
Infrastructure, too, presents a dual narrative. Urban innovation hubs are world-class; rural digital access remains uneven. Compute capacity, semiconductor dependency, and high-quality datasets are areas where India must invest aggressively if it seeks to move from consumer to creator of foundational AI models. Without sovereign AI infrastructure, rule-making risks becoming rhetorical rather than structural.
So, is India transitioning from AI follower to AI rule-maker?
The shift has begun - diplomatically and ideologically. By convening global dialogues and foregrounding inclusivity, India is positioning itself as a bridge between advanced economies and the developing world. It understands both the anxieties of job displacement and the promise of productivity gains. This dual lens gives it credibility.
But rule-making requires more than convening power. It demands domestic coherence. Policies must balance innovation with accountability - protecting citizens without paralysing entrepreneurs. Ethical AI frameworks must be enforceable, not advisory. Public trust must be cultivated deliberately.
If India succeeds, it could offer the world a third path: neither laissez-faire acceleration nor restrictive technocracy, but responsible innovation rooted in human dignity.
The real question is not whether India can shape global AI governance. It is whether it can align its regulatory courage with its technological ambition.History rarely waits. The machine age is writing itself. The pen, this time, may well be coded.
The writer is a freelance journalist who writes on development and socio-economic issues; views are personal
