India Unveils AI Governance Guidelines to Ensure Safe, Inclusive and Responsible AI Adoption Across Sectors

New Delhi, November 6: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Wednesday unveiled the India AI Governance Guidelines under the IndiaAI Mission, setting out a comprehensive national framework for safe, inclusive, and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors.

The guidelines, launched by Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood in the presence of MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan, Additional Secretary Abhishek Singh, and senior officials, mark a major milestone in India’s journey toward establishing a robust AI governance ecosystem ahead of the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026.

‘Do No Harm’ at the Core of India’s AI Vision

Unveiling the guidelines, 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 ensuring risk mitigation within a flexible, adaptive system.” He noted that the IndiaAI Mission would enable an ecosystem that other nations, especially in the Global South, could emulate.

Secretary S. Krishnan emphasised that India’s AI governance would remain human-centric, aligning innovation with ethical use. “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,” he said.

Seven Sutras for Responsible AI

The new framework proposes a multi-dimensional approach built around:

• Seven guiding principles (Sutras) for ethical and responsible AI,
• Recommendations across six pillars of governance,
• An action plan with short-, medium-, and long-term timelines, and
• Practical guidelines for developers, industry, and regulators to ensure transparency and accountability.

Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY and CEO of IndiaAI, said the guidelines evolved from extensive public consultation. “Inputs received reflected strong engagement across sectors. The government 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,” he said.

Drafted by Leading Experts

The guidelines were formulated by a high-level committee chaired by Prof. Balaraman Ravindran of IIT Madras, with participation from leading policy experts including Debjani Ghosh (NASSCOM), Dr Kalika Bali (Microsoft Research), Rahul Matthan (Trilegal), and Sharad Sharma (iSPIRT), among others. The committee’s recommendations are expected to guide policymakers, academia, and industry towards harmonised and ethical AI development.

Hackathon Recognises AI Innovation in Mineral Mapping

On the sidelines of the launch, MeitY also announced the winners of the IndiaAI Hackathon for Mineral Targeting, organised in collaboration with the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The competition encouraged the use of AI and machine learning for mineral exploration and mapping.

The top prize of ₹10 lakh went to Team CricSM AI for its critical and strategic mineral mapping solution, while Team Knowledge and Data-Driven Mineral Targeting secured the second prize of ₹7 lakh. Two additional prizes were awarded for innovative approaches in semi-supervised mineral resource discovery and AI-driven exploration models.

Building a Responsible AI Future

The launch of the India AI Governance Guidelines marks a key step in India’s mission to promote responsible, human-centric, and innovation-friendly AI development. The framework will guide the ethical design and deployment of AI systems while fostering trust, transparency, and accountability.

The initiative also sets the stage for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, to be held on February 19–20, 2026, in New Delhi, which will bring together global AI leaders, policymakers, and innovators to deliberate on “AI for People, Planet, and Progress.”