India has signalled its commitment to fostering artificial intelligence innovation through a supportive regulatory framework, with the government declaring that “innovation should not be hurt” as the country positions itself for global AI leadership.
Speaking at FICCI’s 6th AI India Conclave, an official pre-summit event to the AI Impact Summit, Mr. S Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, outlined the government’s measured approach to AI governance. “Our focus is primarily that innovation should not be hurt in this space. Innovation is the primary objective,” Krishnan said, adding that existing laws remain adequate for addressing potential harms without imposing excessive new regulation.
The Secretary offered explicit assurance to India’s AI innovators: “Innovation is the final push that we are looking for, and the law will catch up in due course.” This position reflects the government’s determination to avoid regulatory constraints that might impede the sector’s rapid development.
Secretary Krishnan expressed confidence that “opportunities for creation of newer kinds of jobs in newer areas are far greater.” The government emphasised that this transition would occur primarily through reskilling, upskilling and talent development programmes involving multiple stakeholders beyond government alone.
He positioned India’s AI journey as carrying significance beyond national borders, describing it as potentially “the one opportunity in a lifetime” for the Global South to achieve transformative growth. He argued that for populations “who don’t necessarily have the opportunity to do cognitive jobs,” AI presents “incredible potential to actually enhance their productivity in a manner that we would have never thought possible.”
The Secretary suggested AI could provide the acceleration needed for developing nations “to grow into a developed state.” He noted that international bodies, including the United Nations Office for Development of Emerging Technologies and the World Bank, have recognised India’s frugal, access-focused approach through the India AI Mission as a viable model for the Global South, demonstrating that countries need not make massive infrastructure investments to compete in the AI era.
Ms. Roma Datta Chobey, Managing Director of Google India and Chair of FICCI’s Technology Committee, framed India’s progress as “not merely a digital transformation” but rather “a paradigm shift in possibilities” affecting over a billion people. She emphasised India’s “triple AI imperative” as central to achieving the government’s vision of democratised AI access.
Mr. Gokul Subramaniam, President of Intel India and Co-Chair of FICCI’s Technology Committee, described India’s AI momentum as comparable to “a shuttle going into space” rather than incremental progress, citing the country’s shift from discussing basic AI capabilities to actively deploying agentic AI, physical AI and robotics solutions across sectors.
The event featured the launch of a joint FICCI-BCG report, “ India’s Triple AI Imperative – Succeeding with AI in India,” which identified three critical imperatives for the country: transforming businesses using AI, investing in AI innovation, and democratising AI access to the last mile.
The MSME sector emerged as a particular focus, with the BCG report estimating that AI adoption amongst small and medium enterprises alone could generate over $500 billion in value. However, enabling this transformation requires coordinated action across industry, government and civil society to address affordability and accessibility challenges.
“India’s AI momentum is formidable, driven by ambitious enterprises, national institutions and a vibrant startup ecosystem. Yet the gap between AI adoption and AI impact persists. True value will come from building AI-first businesses, driving deep innovation and ensuring inclusive access. This report reflects a shared perspective on how industry and policy can come together to strengthen India’s AI future,” said Mr. Nipun Kalra, Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG, and Head of BCGX India.
Ms. Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative, brought attention to children’s central role in the AI ecosystem, noting that one in three internet users globally is a child and that 175,000 children access the internet for the first time daily. She called for stakeholders to “equip children to navigate safely and constructively” whilst protecting their data and involving young people in shaping AI’s future.
International organisations highlighted both opportunities and imperatives. Mr. Cristiano Pasini, UNIDO Representative in India, stressed the importance of firm-level adoption, particularly amongst SMEs, noting that “AI should serve as a tool for productive transformation” whilst supporting inclusion and environmental sustainability. The conclave brought together industry leaders, policymakers and international organisations to chart India’s AI trajectory ahead of the country’s hosting of the Global AI Impact Summit in February 2026.
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