India Takes Center Stage in AI Adoption and Governance: Finance Minister Sitharaman Highlights Progress

India leading in AI adoption, shaping how it is governed: Nirmala Sitharaman

KOTTAYAM(KERALA): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said India was not just leading in the adoption of artificial intelligence, but also shaping how AI is governed. Speaking at the 6th convocation of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Kottayam, Sitharaman said that India was not just ready for AI, but the demand for AI-driven solutions was also high in the country. She said this was evident from the fact that the country recorded 3 billion AI-related app downloads in 2024, while the US and China had only 1.5 billion and 1.3 billion downloads, respectively. The Finance Minister also said that India being made the co-chair at the recent AI Action Summit in Paris was a recognition of the country's global position in the sector. She noted that at the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised that AI was not just a matter of national significance but a global responsibility. "What he (Modi) said gives us a very big message -- use AI, but use it responsibly. Do not misuse it, do not use it unethically. "So, it is very important for us to have AI that is ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy," she said. Sitharaman also outlined the steps taken by the central government in the field of AI, starting with the India AI mission, which was announced with a budget outlay of Rs 10,300 crore for building computing infrastructure, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting AI talent from around the world, and financing AI startups. "India is not just experimenting with AI. We are not just talking about AI or researching it. We are actually implementing it at scale and across various sectors," Sitharaman said, adding that this has been recognised by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. During her speech, Sitharaman also referred to India's achievements in the field of innovation and patenting. She said that India's ranking in the Global Innovation Index had improved to 39 out of 133 countries in 2024, up from 81 in 2015. Sitharaman also highlighted that India's patents-to-GDP ratio -- which measures the economic impact of patent activity -- had risen to 381 in 2023 from 144 in 2013, indicating significant progress in innovation and patenting. "Besides that, India holds the 7th position in intangible asset intensity, surpassing the growth rate of many high-income economies and matching the intangible investment intensity of Germany and Japan," she said at the event. She added that all these achievements indicated that the country was moving in the right direction, while also needing to further improve its performance. "We are moving towards greater innovation and greater self-reliance," she added. Sitharaman also congratulated the students who graduated from IIIT Kottayam and, at the same time, urged them to ensure that incidents like the recent ragging case at a nursing college in Kerala do not happen at their institute. "We do not need that. We do not want anyone to even playfully harass other students. We need to support one another, be better individuals, and become responsible youngsters so that we can build a bright future for the country," Sitharaman said as she concluded her speech.

India Shaping AI Governance Policies: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Just weeks ago, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the country would build its own foundational AI model in the next 10 months Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman reportedly said that India is moving beyond merely leading the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and is shaping how the technology is governed. As per news agency PTI, Sitharaman made the comments while addressing the convocation ceremony of Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Kottayam. "India is not just experimenting with AI. We are not just talking about AI or researching it. We are actually implementing it at scale and across various sectors," Sitharaman said. The FM said that India is ready for AI, adding that the demand for AI-driven solutions is also high in the country. Citing her rationale, the FM said the country clocked 3 Bn AI-related app downloads in 2024, while the US and China recorded 1.5 Bn and 1.3 Bn downloads, respectively. Noting that India's appointment as a co-chair of the recent AI Action Summit in Paris was a recognition of the country's global position in the sector, Sitharaman, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underlined that AI is not just a matter of "national significance but a global responsibility". "What he (PM Modi) said gives us a very big message. Use AI, but use it responsibly. Do not misuse it, do not use it unethically... So, it is very important for us to have AI that is ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy," she added. The FM also emphasised the steps taken by the Centre to foster a vibrant AI ecosystem in the country, including the INR 10,300 Cr IndiaAI Mission for building computing infrastructure, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting AI talent from across the globe, and financing AI startups. The development comes a day after it was reported that the Centre has received at least 67 proposals for building an indigenous AI foundational model, including applications for building 20 large language models (LLMs) from homegrown AI startups such as Sarvam AI, CoRover and Ola's Krutrim. The electronics and IT ministry (MeitY) is reportedly setting up a "high-level technical committee" to evaluate the said proposals. The panel, once constituted, will take a call on the feasibility of the submitted proposals in a month. The comments also come a month after IndiaAI Mission invited proposals from Indian startups and enterprises for building an India-specific AI foundational model. Just weeks ago, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the country would build its own foundational AI model in the next 10 months.