Introduction
India is entering a new AI-driven development phase impacting healthcare, agriculture, education, governance, cities, and public services. Focus is on inclusive, affordable, and accessible AI, not limited to elite institutions. AI is positioned as a tool for societal upliftment and good governance, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. India’s Artificial Intelligence Journey.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
- AI enables machines to learn, adapt, reason, and make decisions using data, algorithms, and models.
- Large Language Models (LLMs) allow human-like interaction through chatbots, translation, and assistants.
- AI improves over time through experience and data.
What is the status of India’s Current AI Ecosystem?
- Tech sector revenue: USD 280+ billion
- Employment: 6+ million in tech and AI
- 1,800+ Global Capability Centres, 500+ AI-focused
- 8 lakh startups, with around 89% using AI
- India scores 2.45/4 on NASSCOM AI Adoption Index
- Top AI-adopting sectors: BFSI, healthcare, manufacturing, retail
- India ranks among top 4 globally in AI skills and policies
- India is the second-largest contributor to AI projects on GitHub
What is the Inclusive AI Vision as presented by the NITI Aayog Report, 2025?
AI can empower 490 million informal workers by improving access to:
- Healthcare
- Education and skilling
- Financial inclusion
Emphasis should be on bridging social and economic divides using technology. AI Technology should amplify human skills, not replace them.
What is the India AI Mission? What are its main Pillars?
It was approved in March 2024 with a budget of ₹10,371.92 crore for 5 years. It’s vision is “Making AI in India and Making AI Work for India”.
7 Seven Pillars of the IndiaAI Mission
- Computing Pillar – Affordable high-end GPU access
- Application Development – AI solutions for India-specific problems
- AIKosh – Dataset and model platform (5,500+ datasets)
- Foundation Models – Indigenous multimodal LLMs in Indian languages
- Future Skills – Fellowships, AI labs, Tier 2–3 city focus
- Startup Financing – Global expansion support
- Safe & Trusted AI – Ethics, bias mitigation, explainability, governance
What are the Government’s other key initiatives for AI?
- BharatGen AI- First government-funded multimodal LLM (22 languages)
- Bhashini- Language AI platform enabling digital inclusion
- Sarvam AI- Sovereign LLM ecosystem for governance (Aadhaar services)
- AIKosh- National AI dataset and model repository
What is the use of AI in everyday life?
- Healthcare- Early diagnosis, telemedicine, ethical AI collaborations
- Agriculture- Weather prediction, pest surveillance, Kisan e-Mitra
- Education & Skilling- AI modules in CBSE. DIKSHA, YUVAi programmes
- Governance & Justice- e-Courts, AI-based translation, vernacular judgments
- Climate & Weather- IMD AI models, MausamGPT, cyclone forecasting
- Employment- AI creates new jobs and skills demand. AI workforce projected to reach 12.5 lakh by 2027. Programs like FutureSkills PRIME driving reskilling.
What is the proposed Digital ShramSetu Mission?
Uses AI, IoT, blockchain for informal workers. It focuses on- Voice-first interfaces, Smart contracts and Micro-credentials. It is proposed to be rolled out in phases from 2025 to 2029. It’s Goal is to make India attain global leadership in inclusive AI by 2035.
Conclusion
India is building a robust, inclusive, and sovereign AI ecosystem. It has a strong focus on- Indigenous innovation, Responsible AI, Skill development and Public good applications. AI is a key enabler of economic growth, social equity, and governance reform. The above mentioned government initiatives lay the foundation for India’s leadership in the global AI landscape and Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
