Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to ANI, highlights India’s vision for this new era saying that AI must accelerate global development while remaining deeply human-centric. The following are the excerpts from the interview:
India is hosting the AI Impact Summit 2026 for the first time anywhere in the Global South. The motto of the summit is Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhaye (Welfare for all, happiness of all). What’s the vision of this Summit, and why this motto?
PM Modi: Today, AI stands at a civilisational inflection point. It can expand human capability in unprecedented ways, but it can also test existing social foundations if left unguided. That is why we have deliberately framed this Summit around Impact that ensures meaningful and equitable outcomes, not just innovation. The guiding spirit, “Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhaye”, reflects India’s civilisational philosophy. The end goal of technology should be ‘Welfare for All, Happiness of All’. As the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, India is creating a platform that amplifies under-represented voices and development priorities. Our vision is clear: AI must accelerate global development while remaining deeply human-centric.
You have always spoken about using technology for empowerment and development. How do you see AI’s role in Viksit Bharat 2047?
PM Modi: AI represents a transformative opportunity in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047. Leveraging AI mindfully, with a strategic lens, helps address deep developmental challenges while creating entirely new economic opportunities, enabling inclusive growth, bridging the urban-rural divide and expanding access to opportunity. In healthcare, AI is already delivering impact. We are seeing AI-based solutions addressing early detection of tuberculosis, diabetic retinopathy, epilepsy and many other ailments at primary and district health centres. In education, AI-powered personalised learning platforms in Indian languages are helping students in rural and government schools receive customised academic support. In agriculture, the Bharat Vistaar initiative aims to integrate AI into crop advisory, soil analytics and weather intelligence, helping farmers make better, localised decisions. Even in heritage preservation, AI is enabling the digitisation and interpretation of ancient manuscripts. At a time when the world is worried about AI deepening divides, India is using it to dissolve divides.
In your speech at AI Action Summit 2025 in Paris, you emphasised the bias and limitations of AI. From now and then, has the scenario changed? How do you see India addressing this issue?
PM Modi: The concerns regarding bias and limitations in AI remain deeply relevant. As AI adoption accelerates, the risks also scale. AI systems can inadvertently perpetuate biases related to gender, language and socio-economic background. The AI Impact Summit 2026 is bringing together various stakeholders and creating global awareness on matters such as biases and limitations of AI. This is an issue that needs global cooperation. For India specifically, we face unique challenges and opportunities. Our diversity – linguistic, cultural, regional – means that AI bias can manifest in ways that might not be obvious in Western contexts.
India’s success in building low-cost Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) like Aadhar and UPI is phenomenal. The convergence of DPI and AI could significantly improve public service delivery. What is India’s learning on this, which could help Global South?
PM Modi: India’s Digital Public Infrastructure journey offers crucial and practical lessons for the Global South. The convergence of DPI and AI is the next frontier of inclusive development. Our success with Aadhaar, UPI and other digital public goods was not accidental. It stemmed from a few replicable principles. First, we built digital infrastructure as a public good, not a proprietary platform. Second, we designed for scale and inclusion from day one. Our systems work for 1.4 billion people, irrespective of their socio-economic status, literacy level, region or language. With its experience of building a human-centric Digital Public Infrastructure, India is best placed to ensure that AI’s benefits reach the last mile, and not remain confined to a narrow urban elite.
India is a powerhouse of engineering talent. We contribute a large tech workforce to the world. How could we further deepen this in the AI era?
PM Modi: India has the talent and entrepreneurial energy to become an AI powerhouse, not just as a consumer, but a creator. Our startups, research institutions and tech ecosystem can build AI solutions that enhance manufacturing, improve governance and generate new jobs. I am confident that our youth can build AI solutions for Indian realities, designed for farmers, MSMEs, women entrepreneurs and grassroots innovators. We remain committed to strengthening every effort by our talented youth to make AI a force-multiplier for innovation and inclusion. The Union Budget 2026-27 reinforces this vision.
India has a vibrant IT sector contributing significantly to our service exports. How do you see AI impacting our IT sector? And what are the steps the Government is taking to bolster our IT sector?
PM Modi: India’s IT sector has been the backbone of our services exports and a key driver of economic growth. AI presents both a tremendous opportunity and a challenge for this sector. AI market projections show India’s IT sector could reach $400 billion by 2030, driven by new waves of AI-enabled outsourcing and domain-specific automation. The fundamental shift is that AI isn’t replacing the IT sector. It is transforming it. While general-purpose AI tools have become widespread, enterprise-grade AI adoption is still concentrated in specific sectors, and incumbent IT firms continue to play crucial roles in solving complex business problems. To enable a strong Indian AI ecosystem, the Government has responded with a comprehensive strategy centered on the IndiaAI Mission..
We have seen many examples of AI being misused. How are we ensuring safety of Indians from possible harm of AI technology?
PM Modi: Technology is a powerful tool, but it is only a force-multiplier for human intent. It is up to us to ensure that it becomes a force for good. While AI may enhance human capabilities, the ultimate responsibility for decision-making must always remain with human beings. Around the world, societies are debating how AI should be used and governed. India is helping shape this conversation by showing that strong safeguards can coexist with continued innovation. For this, we need a global compact on AI, built upon certain fundamental principles. India is moving toward a more structured governance approach in AI regulation.
In some section of youth, there is fear that AI will take away their jobs. India’s demographic dividend will be difficult to harness if that is the case. How is the Government of India tackling this challenge?
PM Modi: I understand the concern of our youth about AI-driven disruptions in the job market. Preparation is the best antidote to fear. That is why we have been investing in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future. The Government has launched one of the most ambitious skilling initiatives in the world. We’re not approaching this as a future problem but we’re treating it as a present imperative. I view AI as a force-multiplier which will further help us push the boundaries of what we thought possible. It will help doctors and teachers and lawyers to reach out to and help a larger group of people. History has shown that work does not disappear due to technology. Its nature changes and new types of jobs are created. India is already well equipped to adapt to this change.
Under your leadership, India has developed indigenous technologies such as 4 G and 5 G, as well as drone technology. What is your vision on AI for Aatmanirbhar Bharat? PM Modi: Our journey toward Aatmanirbhar Bharat has been built on a fundamental principle: India must not just consume technology but create it. My vision for AI in Aatmanirbhar Bharat rests on three pillars: sovereignty, inclusivity, and innovation. My vision is that India should be among the top three AI superpowers globally, not just in the consumption of AI but in creation.
