Strategic Priorities for India: Essays on AI Policy

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming societies, economies, and political systems worldwide. From improving public health and streamlining governance to enhancing industrial productivity, AI holds significant promise for India’s development goals. At the same time, its adoption raises critical concerns, including algorithmic bias, job displacement, surveillance risks, ethical dilemmas, and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

In March 2025, Digital Futures Lab published the report, Provocations on AI Sovereignty, exploring the meaning of AI sovereignty, assessing its feasibility, examining who benefits from such an agenda, and most importantly, unpacking the new policy conundrums it raises. This report was developed based on reflections from a workshop we hosted in November 2024, with the support of Samagata Foundation, wherein we hosted 18 of the country’s leading thinkers and practitioners on technology policy.

As a rapidly digitising democracy with a diverse population and a vibrant innovation ecosystem, India stands at a critical juncture. The choices made today around AI policy will shape not only economic competitiveness but also social justice, democratic governance, and national security for decades to come.

India must therefore move beyond fragmented regulatory responses or reactive policymaking. What is needed is a structured, forward-looking dialogue that anticipates future challenges, aligns technological development with constitutional values, and fosters inclusive and sustainable innovation.

This volume seeks to catalyse such dialogue by convening India’s leading thinkers to articulate the country’s strategic priorities on AI across a wide range of domains. Each contributor brings deep expertise and a grounded understanding of the Indian context, ensuring that the essays offer analytically rich, actionable, and contextually-informed insights.

The collection will critically examine India’s evolving policy landscape and its readiness to navigate the opportunities and risks of a rapidly changing AI ecosystem. It will explore themes of state capacity and institutional preparedness, public attitudes and trust, innovation culture, education and research systems, and India’s positioning within the emerging global AI order.

Through diverse analytical and methodological lenses, the collection will trace how ideas of sovereignty, safety, justice, and accountability are being redefined in the age of AI. Together, these essays will provide a cohesive framework for understanding AI governance in India, clarifying strategic priorities for the coming decade and identifying pathways for inclusive, responsible, and sustainable innovation.

This essay collection is currently under development, with contributions being finalised. It is due to be published in early 2026. A full list of contributors and essays will be announced shortly.

• To bring together interdisciplinary and practice-based perspectives from leading experts across policy, academia, industry, and civil society, fostering dialogue that advances long-term, strategic thinking on AI governance tailored to the Indian context.
• To produce a high-impact publication that informs policymakers, guides public debate, and serves as a foundational document for shaping India's long-term AI strategy.