Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology releases AI governance guidelines

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released the India AI Governance Guidelines under the IndiaAI Mission, setting out a comprehensive framework for responsible and inclusive use of artificial intelligence across sectors.

Unveiled by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the guidelines outline a governance structure designed to balance innovation with safety. The framework includes seven guiding principles - Trust, People First, Fairness and Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, Safety and Sustainability, and Innovation over Restraint - forming the ethical foundation for AI development in India.

The report recommends measures across six pillars: infrastructure, capacity building, policy and regulation, risk mitigation, accountability, and institutional coordination. It calls for a ‘whole-of-government’ approach through new entities such as the AI Governance Group (AIGG) and the AI Safety Institute (AISI) to monitor compliance, develop safety tools, and support research.

Prof. Sood said, “The guiding principle that defines the spirit of the framework is simple, ‘Do No Harm’. We focus on creating sandboxes for innovation and on ensuring risk mitigation within a flexible, adaptive system. The IndiaAI Mission will enable this ecosystem and inspire many nations, especially across the Global South."

S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, added, “Our focus remains on using existing legislation wherever possible. At the heart of it all is human centricity, ensuring AI serves humanity and benefits people’s lives while addressing potential harms.”

Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, and CEO of IndiaAI Mission, said, “The committee went through extensive deliberations and prepared a draft report, which was opened for public consultation. The inputs received is a clear sign of strong engagement across sectors. As AI continues to evolve rapidly, a second committee was formed to review these inputs and refine the final guidelines. The Government of India remains focused on ensuring that AI is accessible, affordable, and inclusive, while promoting a safe, trustworthy, and responsible ecosystem that fuels innovation and strengthens the AI economy.”

The framework also recommends the creation of an AI incident reporting mechanism, voluntary industry codes, and techno-legal solutions such as privacy-preserving tools and content authentication measures to counter risks like deepfakes.

Drafted by a committee led by Prof. B. Ravindran of IIT Madras, the guidelines are expected to serve as a foundational reference for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders, aligning India’s AI governance model with global standards while reflecting its local social and cultural contexts.