Key Highlights of the Guidelines
The guidelines emphasize a human-centric and responsible approach to AI innovation, focusing on four primary pillars:
- Seven guiding principles (Sutras) for ethical and responsible AI.
- Recommendations across six pillars of AI governance.
- Action plans mapped to short, medium, and long-term timelines.
- Practical guidance for industry, developers, and regulators to ensure accountability and transparency.
Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, said, “Our focus remains on human-centric AI that serves citizens’ interests while addressing potential risks. These guidelines ensure safe, trustworthy, and inclusive AI adoption across India.”
“Do No Harm” Philosophy and Innovation Sandboxes
Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, highlighted the guiding principle of the framework, “Do No Harm”, emphasizing risk mitigation within a flexible and adaptive ecosystem. Innovation sandboxes will allow developers to safely test AI solutions while ensuring compliance with ethical and legal standards, promoting responsible AI deployment especially across the Global South.
IndiaAI Hackathon Winners
During the event, winners of the IndiaAI Hackathon for Mineral Targeting were also announced. Organised in collaboration with the Geological Survey of India, the hackathon aimed to leverage AI for critical mineral mapping and data-driven exploration. Top winners included:
- First Prize (₹10 lakh): CricSM AI for critical and strategic mineral mapping by Prof. Partha Pratim Mandal and team.
- Second Prize (₹7 lakh): Knowledge and Data-Driven Mineral Targeting Approach by Soumya Mitra and team.
- Third Prize (₹5 lakh): SUVARN – Semi-Unsupervised Value-adaptive Artificial Resource Network by Sayantani Bhattacharya and team.
- Special Prize (₹5 lakh): Innovative AI/ML solutions for discovering new mineral exploration areas by Deepa Kumari and team.
These solutions highlight AI’s potential to transform resource exploration and strengthen India’s technological leadership.
Towards a Safe, Inclusive AI Ecosystem
Shri Abhishek Singh, CEO IndiaAI Mission, DG NIC, noted that extensive public consultation contributed to refining the guidelines. The framework aims to ensure that AI in India remains accessible, inclusive, and responsible, fostering innovation while mitigating societal risks. The IndiaAI Mission will act as a platform to implement these standards nationally and internationally.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026, will convene global leaders, policymakers, researchers, and industry experts to deliberate on AI’s transformative role in driving people, planet, and progress.
