Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), under the IndiaAI Mission, last week unveiled the India AI Governance Guidelines, a comprehensive framework to ensure safe, inclusive, and responsible AI adoption across sectors.
The guidelines were formally unveiled by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government, in the presence of S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY; Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, CEO IndiaAI Mission, DG NIC; Kavita Bhatia, Scientist ‘G’ & GC, MeitY & COO IndiaAI Mission and Prof. B. Ravindran, IIT Madras. The launch also saw the participation of Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser & Scientist ‘G’, and Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, both from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser.
The launch marks a key milestone ahead of the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, as India strengthens its leadership in responsible AI governance.
The guidelines propose a robust governance framework to foster cutting-edge innovation, and safely develop and deploy AI for all while mitigating risks to individuals and society. The framework comprises four key components:
• Seven guiding principles (Sutras) for ethical and responsible AI.
• Key recommendations across six pillars of AI governance.
• An action plan mapped to short, medium, and long-term timelines.
• Practical guidelines for industry, developers, and regulators to ensure transparent and accountable AI deployment.
On this occasion, Secretary Krishnan said, “Our focus remains on using existing legislation wherever possible. At the heart of it all is human centricity, ensuring AI serves humanity and benefits people’s lives while addressing potential harms.”
Prof. Sood said, “The guiding principle that defines the spirit of the framework is simple, ‘Do No Harm’. We focus on creating sandboxes for innovation and on ensuring risk mitigation within a flexible, adaptive system. The IndiaAI Mission will enable this ecosystem and inspire many nations, especially across the Global South.”
Abhishek Singh shared that the committee went through extensive deliberations and prepared a draft report, which was opened for public consultation. The inputs received were a clear sign of strong engagement across sectors.
“As AI continues to evolve rapidly, a second committee was formed to review these inputs and refine the final guidelines. The Government remains focused on ensuring that AI is accessible, affordable, and inclusive, while promoting a safe, trustworthy, and responsible ecosystem that fuels innovation and strengthens the AI economy,” said Singh.
The guidelines have been drafted by a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Prof. Balaraman Ravindran, IIT Madras, comprising policy experts from the field.
These are envisioned as a foundational reference for policymakers, researchers, and industry to foster greater national and international cooperation for safe, responsible, and inclusive AI adoption. The report may be accessed at http://indiaai.gov.in/.