India Charts AI Future at ESTIC 2025: MeitY Leads Dialogue on Responsible AI

In his opening address, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, underscored the societal impact and human-centric nature of AI.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, convened a landmark Panel Discussion on Artificial Intelligence during the Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025) — a major step in shaping India’s vision for safe, inclusive, and globally competitive AI development.

The high-level session, chaired by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, brought together leading voices from government, academia, and industry to deliberate on how India can leverage AI to accelerate innovation, empower citizens, and uphold ethical governance. The discussion also set the stage for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026, which will spotlight India’s leadership in building a responsible AI ecosystem for the world.

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“AI Must Uplift Society and Enable Viksit Bharat 2047”: Shri S. Krishnan

In his opening address, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, underscored the societal impact and human-centric nature of AI.

“The critical aspect of all technology is the impact it has on society, how it enhances quality of life, and what it offers to the people of the country. For India, this is truly an opportunity to leverage a horizontal, cross-cutting technology like AI to ensure the country is firmly on the path to becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he said.

He emphasized that AI is not merely a technological revolution but a developmental catalyst that can advance digital inclusion, improve governance delivery, and foster equitable growth across India’s diverse socio-economic landscape.

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IndiaAI Mission: Building an Integrated AI Ecosystem

Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY; Director General, National Informatics Centre; and CEO, IndiaAI Mission, outlined the seven-pillar strategy of the IndiaAI Mission, which addresses the gaps in India’s AI innovation landscape.

“To unlock pathways for AI innovation, the IndiaAI Mission is addressing all the gaps that exist in our story. Our biggest advantage is human capital, but to build AI models and applications, we also need accessible compute power, quality datasets, and sustained investment,” he explained.

The Mission’s comprehensive approach includes:

• Affordable computing infrastructure and national AI data platforms.

• Indigenous foundation models to promote technological sovereignty.

• Support for AI startups and innovation sandboxes.

• Tools and frameworks for safe, trustworthy AI deployment.

Singh added that the goal is to make India a global leader in responsible AI, developing solutions that are not only transformative for national needs but also set global benchmarks in ethics, transparency, and inclusion.

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“Innovation Within Constraints”: Dr. Sridhar Vembu’s Perspective

Dr. Sridhar Vembu, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Zoho Corporation, highlighted India’s unique potential to innovate amid constraints.

“We have to find a different pathway to overcome budgets and resource restraints. When you don’t have all the resources available, those very constraints push you to come up with better solutions. I genuinely believe there is new science waiting to be discovered—a completely different foundation that could change how we approach these problems,” he said.

His remarks underscored the importance of indigenous innovation, urging technologists and researchers to explore alternative, resource-efficient approaches that align with India’s realities.

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AI in Action: Transforming Health, Energy, and Industry

The session featured a series of talks by pioneering innovators and researchers demonstrating the real-world potential of AI across sectors:

• Dr. Geeta Manjunath, Founder, CEO & CTO, Niramai Health Analytix, showcased how AI-based breast cancer screening is bridging healthcare inequities, making diagnostics more affordable and accessible.

• Dr. Sriram Raghavan, Vice President, IBM Research (AI), spoke on the power of open innovation ecosystems, highlighting the importance of collaboration between academia, startups, and global research centers.

• Dr. Amit Sheth, NCR Chair & Founding Director, AI Institute, University of South Carolina, discussed the shift from generic AI to purpose-driven, domain-specific systems, especially in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and agriculture.

These insights underscored AI’s transformative potential in addressing India’s most pressing challenges—from healthcare delivery to industrial productivity and sustainability.

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Panel Discussion: Responsible AI for Innovation and Inclusion

The highlight of the event was a panel on “Responsible AI for Innovation and Inclusion”, moderated by Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Co-founder, DeepTech for Bharat Foundation, and former CEO, Prasar Bharati.

The distinguished panel featured:

• Dr. Harrick Mayank Vin, CTO, Tata Consultancy Services

• Prof. Balaraman Ravindran, Head, Department of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras

• Shri Abhishek Singh, CEO, IndiaAI Mission

• Dr. Rimjhim Agrawal, Co-Founder & CTO, BrainSightAI

• Smt. Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog, and Former President, NASSCOM

• Prof. P. Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

The experts engaged in a dynamic dialogue on India’s evolving AI landscape, emphasizing the need to align technological growth with societal priorities. Key themes included:

• Building ethical frameworks for AI deployment and governance.

• Developing indigenous large language models (LLMs) tailored to India’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

• Investing in digital infrastructure to enable AI adoption at scale.

• Encouraging international cooperation to ensure equitable AI progress across the Global South.

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Path Ahead: From Conclave to Global Summit

The ESTIC 2025 AI discussion marks a strategic prelude to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, to be held on February 19–20, 2026, in New Delhi. The summit will bring together global policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to deliberate on how AI can drive progress across People, Planet, and Prosperity.

As India continues to balance innovation with inclusivity, the dialogue at ESTIC 2025 reinforced its commitment to a future where AI serves humanity responsibly, empowering communities while preserving ethical and cultural values.