New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh) – Addressing the inaugural India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India views the Artificial Intelligence revolution as a “destiny” rather than a threat. Speaking to a global audience that included French President Emmanuel Macron and tech titans like Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai, the Prime Minister positioned India as the world’s premier destination for AI development and innovation.
Modi emphasized that while some nations view AI as a confidential strategic asset, India advocates for an open-source approach. “Transparency is the best security,” he remarked, calling for shared codes to ensure AI acts as a global common good.
The ‘MANAV’ Vision for Ethical AI
The Prime Minister introduced a new framework for AI governance termed the MANAV vision, which outlines India’s approach to human-centric technology:
- M: Moral and ethical systems.
- A: Accountable governance with transparent rules.
- N : National Sovereignty
- A: Accessible and inclusive technology.
- V: Valid and legitimate systems that are lawful and verifiable.
Tackling Deepfakes and Digital Trust
Highlighting the risks posed by fabricated content, the Prime Minister advocated for “authenticity labels” and “watermarking” for all AI-generated media. He compared this to nutrition labels on food, suggesting that users must know what is real and what is synthetic to protect open societies from instability. He also stressed the need for “child-safe” and “family-guided” AI spaces, similar to curated school syllabi.
India as a Global Hub
With the world’s largest youth population and tech talent pool, Modi urged global leaders to “design in India and deliver to the world.” He likened AI’s role to a GPS—a tool that provides direction while leaving the final “command” and decision-making in human hands. The summit, attended by representatives from over 100 nations, serves as a significant milestone for the Global South in the tech-enabled ecosystem.
