N. Subramanian, Executive Director of the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) under the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor, Govt. of India, explains that India’s AI strategy is focused on democratizing technology and empowering innovators nationwide. He says the AI India Mission has three key priorities. First, it seeks to make AI resources widely accessible through the creation of diverse datasets across multiple sectors, enabling startups and researchers to develop solutions tailored to India’s needs. Second, according to Subramanian, the mission emphasizes robust computing infrastructure, essential for scaling and customizing AI models. Finally, he highlights the importance of adoption: the government is conducting awareness programs, workshops, and events to inspire students, young innovators, and researchers.
Addressing concerns over job displacement, Subramanian notes that history shows initial resistance to technology adoption is common but often temporary. He says AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance human capabilities rather than replace them, provided it is used responsibly and with awareness of its nuances.
Cybersecurity and privacy remain central to India’s AI approach. Subramanian points out that AI offers tremendous opportunities to strengthen security, from detecting novel threats to enabling predictive analysis and proactive protection. Yet, he cautions, risks emerge both from the AI models themselves—how they are trained, their explainability, fairness, and accountability—and from the data used to train them. Traditional security measures, like encryption for data at rest and secure protocols for data in transit, are well established. The emerging challenge, he explains, lies in safeguarding privacy during active AI processing, when models analyze and manipulate data.
According to Subramanian, India is advancing rapidly in Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs). Techniques such as homomorphic encryption, federated learning, secure multi-party computation, and zero-knowledge proofs allow AI systems to process data without compromising privacy. He says these technological innovations, combined with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act’s consent management and encryption requirements, create a trusted ecosystem for AI innovation.
Subramanian also emphasizes the opportunities for startups and private enterprises. Beyond model development, companies can create sector-specific solutions for healthcare, finance, transportation, and more. He highlights the convergence of AI with next-generation infrastructure like 5G and upcoming 6G networks, which will enable high-throughput and delay-sensitive applications such as tele-surgery. Lightweight AI models and tailored solutions will be critical to fully leverage these advancements.
Through these efforts, Subramanian concludes, the AI India Mission is positioning India to harness the full potential of AI, drive innovation, and build a secure, privacy-conscious ecosystem that benefits startups, researchers, and citizens alike.
