2nd India-France AI Policy Roundtable Advances Bilateral and Global AI Governance

The ‘2nd India-France AI Policy Roundtable’ marked a significant step forward in fostering bilateral cooperation and aligning AI policy strategies between India and France.

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, the IndiaAI Mission, and Sciences Po Paris, hosted the official side event to the AI Action Summit 2025, titled the '2nd India-France AI Policy Roundtable.' This significant event took place on February 10, 2025, at the Sciences Po Paris university campus.

Opening Remarks and Key Themes

The roundtable commenced with opening remarks from Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. Prof. Sood underscored India's global AI policy priorities, emphasizing responsible AI development and deployment, equitable benefit-sharing, the adoption of a techno-legal framework for AI governance, interoperable data flows, and enhanced collaboration in AI safety, research, and innovation. He highlighted the immense potential for India and France to synergize their policy positions and technological initiatives, fostering bilateral benefits while contributing to global AI advancements through complementary knowledge and skills.

Co-Chairs' Remarks: Strategic Priorities

Shri Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, and H.E. Henri Verdier, Ambassador for Digital Affairs, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, delivered the co-chairs' remarks. They focused on four strategic areas:

1. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for AI: Building robust infrastructures to support AI development and deployment.
2. AI Foundation Models: Encouraging collaborative research and development of foundational AI models.
3. Global AI Governance: Establishing cohesive international frameworks for AI regulation.
4. Priority Areas for AI Integration: Leveraging AI to address global challenges such as climate change, healthcare, and sustainable development.

Both co-chairs also highlighted challenges surrounding cross-border data flows, emphasizing the need for arbitration mechanisms and aligned perspectives on data sovereignty.

Expert Interventions: Broadening the AI Policy Landscape

The roundtable featured insightful interventions from distinguished experts, including:

• Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser/Scientist G, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India
• Smt. Kavita Bhatia, Scientist 'G' & Group Coordinator, AI & Emerging Technology and Bhashini, MeitY, Government of India
• Mr. Clément Bacchi, International Digital Policy Lead, Directorate General of Enterprises, Ministry of the Economy and Finance, France
• Ms. Hélène Costa, Project Director, French Ministry for the Ecological Transition
• Shri Abhishek Aggarwal, Scientist 'D', AI & Emerging Technologies Group, MeitY, Government of India
• Mr. Sharad Sharma, Co-Founder, iSPIRT Foundation
• Mr. Francis Rousseaux, International Technical Expert on AI, iSPIRT Foundation
• Dr. Sarayu Natarajan, Founder, Aapti Institute
• Mr. Charbel-Raphaël Segerie, Executive Director, Centre pour la Sécurité de l'IA
• Mr. Saurabh Singh, Head, Digital and AI Policy, AWS India & South Asia
• Mr. Alexandre Mariani, International Affairs Manager, Sciences Po Paris
• Mr. Kapil Vaswani, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research
• Mr. Sunu Engineer, Entrepreneur, Co-Founder, Transforming.Legal
• Mr. Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder, Sarvam AI

Key Discussion Points and Outcomes

The interventions emphasized the democratization of AI resources and the critical need for capacity building across both nations. Participants recognized the importance of developing techno-legal frameworks, fostering sovereign AI models, and ensuring ethical AI deployment. A consensus emerged on defining globally accepted AI terminologies and standards.

Noteworthy discussion points included:

• Multilingual Large Language Models (LLMs): Enhancing AI inclusivity through support for diverse languages.
• Federated AI Compute Infrastructure: Developing decentralized, interoperable AI research platforms.
• Interoperable Access to AI Resources: Facilitating cross-border collaboration in AI research, datasets, and high-performance computing resources.
• Indigenous Foundation Models: Promoting the creation of local AI models tailored to specific regional and cultural needs.
• Balanced Governance Approaches: Minimizing AI-related risks while fostering innovation and sustainability.
• Sustainable AI Practices: Prioritizing energy-efficient computing and sustainable AI development.
• Societal Impact and Data Governance: Addressing AI's societal implications and enhancing data governance frameworks.
• Global Institutions' Role: Defining the role of international bodies in shaping AI safety and governance standards.

Building on Previous Initiatives

The second roundtable built upon the objectives outlined in the first India-France AI Policy Roundtable, which was held at IISc Bengaluru during the Technology Dialogue on January 25, 2025. The first roundtable focused on inclusive AI frameworks, diverse datasets, infrastructure development, foundational models, governance, and innovation. It also explored public-private partnerships, sustainability, healthcare applications, and academic collaborations.

Both roundtables highlighted ethical and responsible AI deployment, with an emphasis on sector-specific applications and long-term goals. The continued collaboration between India and France is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global AI governance, research, and innovation.

The '2nd India-France AI Policy Roundtable' marked a significant step forward in fostering bilateral cooperation and aligning AI policy strategies between India and France. By addressing critical challenges and identifying opportunities for collaboration, both nations demonstrated their commitment to responsible AI development and global leadership in AI governance. The outcomes of this roundtable are expected to influence future AI policies and contribute to building a more inclusive, sustainable, and ethical AI ecosystem on a global scale.