MeitY Hosts Curtain Raiser for ESTIC 2025, Emphasising AI for Social Impact

The 2025 edition will focus on “Artificial Intelligence for Social Impact”, reflecting India’s determination to harness AI for inclusive growth and digital empowerment.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) hosted a Curtain Raiser event on October 23, 2025, to kick off preparations for the upcoming Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025. The event sought to build momentum around India’s growing leadership in artificial intelligence (AI), digital innovation, and inclusive technology.

The session was chaired by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, and attended by Dr. Ganesh Ramakrishnan, Institute Chair Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay, and Ms. Kavita Bhatia, Scientist G and Group Coordinator, AI & Emerging Technologies Division, MeitY. The gathering brought together representatives from academia, industry, startups, and research institutions to explore AI’s transformative potential in advancing social and economic development.

Setting the Tone for ESTIC 2025

The Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) is a flagship initiative that convenes India’s brightest minds to discuss cutting-edge innovations and their applications for national development. The 2025 edition will focus on “Artificial Intelligence for Social Impact”, reflecting India’s determination to harness AI for inclusive growth and digital empowerment.

Speaking at the curtain raiser, Shri S. Krishnan underscored the importance of responsible and accessible AI in India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation.

“If India is to become a developed nation, we must ride the wave of technology — and AI is perhaps the most crucial technology driving that transformation,” Krishnan said. “Our focus must be on building inclusive mechanisms that ensure people can access and benefit from AI in meaningful ways. India’s intent is clear: we view AI as a force for good, one that can bring transformative change across all sectors.”

He further added that the Ministry’s approach is guided by ethical AI governance, citizen-centric applications, and cross-sector collaboration, ensuring that the benefits of technology reach every corner of society.

AI as a Catalyst for Inclusive Development

Ms. Kavita Bhatia, Scientist G and Group Coordinator, AI & Emerging Technologies Division at MeitY, spoke about how AI is evolving as a “kinetic enabler”—a catalyst capable of breaking traditional barriers and propelling India toward large-scale social and economic transformation.

“Our approach has been guided by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s inclusive development philosophy — Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, aur Sabka Prayaas — placing ‘AI for All’ at its very core,” she said.

Bhatia highlighted that MeitY’s ongoing efforts to promote AI skilling, innovation funding, and responsible governance frameworks have already positioned India among the top global players in emerging technologies. Initiatives such as the National Programme on Artificial Intelligence, IndiaAI Mission, and Digital India are paving the way for new use cases in healthcare, agriculture, education, logistics, and governance.

Academia’s Role in Building India’s AI Backbone

Sharing his perspective on India’s digital and research ecosystem, Dr. Ganesh Ramakrishnan of IIT Bombay emphasized that India’s diversity and digital public infrastructure (DPI) provide a unique foundation for scalable AI solutions.

“India has a remarkable advantage because of its diversity and strong digital infrastructure. Aadhaar, UPI, and other platforms have provided the backbone for scalable AI solutions,” Dr. Ramakrishnan said.

He also lauded initiatives such as Bhashini, India’s multilingual language translation mission, and BharatGen, the National Sovereign AI Ecosystem, for fostering context-aware, multilingual, and multimodal AI tailored to India’s socio-cultural realities.

Dr. Ramakrishnan emphasized the importance of ensuring that AI addresses last-mile connectivity and access, particularly for underserved populations. “Our goal should be to empower Indian startups, researchers, and industry to harness AI’s potential in ways that truly transform everyday life,” he noted.

Building Momentum Toward ESTIC 2025

The curtain raiser marks the start of a series of pre-conclave engagements designed to bring together innovators, policymakers, and researchers to deliberate on the role of emerging technologies in solving national challenges. ESTIC 2025 will feature thematic sessions on:

• AI for Governance and Public Service Delivery

• AI in Healthcare, Agriculture, and Education

• AI and Sustainability: Climate Tech and Energy Efficiency

• AI Ethics, Regulation, and Trust Frameworks

• Skilling and Capacity Building for the AI Workforce

The conclave aims to align with India’s broader digital transformation strategy, reinforcing the country’s vision of becoming a global hub for trusted AI under the IndiaAI Mission, which focuses on computing power, data accessibility, research, and startup enablement.

Toward an Inclusive AI Future

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that AI innovation remains inclusive, ethical, and people-centric, with policies that promote transparency, accountability, and societal well-being.

“AI must not only serve economic growth but also address societal needs — from improving healthcare delivery to enabling precision agriculture and personalized education,” Krishnan said, adding that MeitY’s vision aligns with global best practices while staying rooted in India’s unique social and developmental context.

Collaboration Across Sectors

The event concluded with a call for multi-stakeholder collaboration between the government, academia, and industry to translate research into real-world impact. Participants noted that initiatives like the AI for India 2.0 skilling programme, National Data Governance Framework Policy, and IndiaAI Innovation Platform will play a key role in scaling responsible AI adoption nationwide.

The Curtain Raiser for ESTIC 2025 thus set the tone for a vibrant, forward-looking discussion on how AI can become a transformative force for social good, driving India’s vision of inclusive and sustainable technological advancement.