Ahead of PM’s US visit, India says AI regulation secondary

As co-chair of the Paris AI Action Summit, India on Tuesday emphasised that the current focus should be on fostering AI innovation, with regulation taking a secondary role. This stance aligns with the views expressed by US Vice-President JD Vance, who cautioned against excessive regulation that could stifle the AI sector.

Speaking ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, S Krishnan, Secretary of Information Technology and part of the Indian delegation, said the existing domestic laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act, were sufficient to address challenges such as deepfakes and AI-related misrepresentations. “We see AI as more of an opportunity than a risk in India’s case. Unlike the West, we do not have many white-collar jobs, so AI could create significant employment opportunities,” Krishnan said during a special briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on PM Modi’s ongoing visit to France.

PM Modi arrived in Paris on Monday and attended a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in honor of visiting heads of state and entrepreneurs participating in the Paris AI Action Summit. Modi interacted with industry representatives ahead of co-chairing the summit with Macron on Tuesday.

Addressing concerns about China’s advancements in AI, particularly with its DeepSeek initiative, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “The Prime Minister, in his address to the summit, emphasised that AI must be developed for good and for all. Other countries will pursue their own paths, but through the India AI Mission, we will focus on what we believe is right,” Misri said.

India and France are expected to announce deliverables in the AI space, particularly in the digital public infrastructure domain. On PM’s visit to France, Misri said, “The AI Summit adds another dimension to India-France cooperation.”