C4IR India An Impact Journey 2025

Context Objective Workstreams The National Advisory Council for the AI for India 2030 initiative, chaired by Ajay Sood (PSA) and S. Krishnan (Secretary, MeitY), and consisting of domain leaders and pioneers from industries, start-ups, academia and government, identified two important workstreams:AI for India 2030 is a pioneering global multistakeholder initiative that unites industry leaders, academic institutions, civil society organizations and governments co-hosted by the World Economic Forum, along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) of India, the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) of India, and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) of India. The AI for India 2030 initiative is aligned with the World Economic Forum’s AI Governance Alliance (AIGA). AIGA, which was launched in June 2023 and focuses on responsible AI and transforming how AI shapes our world, has more than 463 global partners in 31 countries. These partners include representatives from industry, start-ups, academia, think tanks and governments. The alliance promotes national and global collaboration to use AI’s potential across industries. The AI for India 2030 Initiative aims to investigate the strategic implications of AI in various industries and sectors in India and co-design essential blueprints and anticipatory governance mechanisms to contribute to a globally harmonized understanding of responsible AI. AI presents unprecedented opportunities to stimulate transformative growth and development in India, with the potential to contribute approximately $500 billion to the economy by 2025,2 and has the capacity to revolutionize sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and urban planning. As the nation integrates AI across sectors, the collective goal is not only to enhance national competitiveness but also to position India as a global leader in the responsible and inclusive dissemination of AI technologies. The main challenges include the availability and quality of data, skills development, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, ethical considerations, equitable access and public–private collaboration. The mission of AI for India 2030 is to solve these obstacles by facilitating collaborative efforts and harnessing AI’s potential for societal benefits. By working together, we aim to shape a future where AI serves as a catalyst for sustainable development, economic growth and social inclusion. AI for India 2030 expert groups will determine workstreams to deliver an outcome-focused multistakeholder framework. The framework will be submitted to the National Advisory Council for the AI for India 2030 initiative for feedback and published for national adoption with possible pilots with two states.1 AI playbooks for priority sectors Simplify and proliferate the adoption of AI in priority sectors such as agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) manufacturing and health by designing implementable frameworks and providing a dynamic compendium of methodologies for policy leaders, government institutions, industry and start-ups.2 AI sandbox Create multistakeholder innovation hubs designed to address critical challenges such as availability of data, navigation of regulations and creation of systems for equitable access and collaborative deployment of AI solutions, aimed at positioning India as a global AI leader. 2. The Indian Express. (2023, March 20). Artificial intelligence expected to add $500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025: Report. https://indianexpress.com/ article/business/economy/artificial-intelligence-expected-to-add-500-bn-to-india-gdp-by-2025-8507775/. Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India – an Impact Journey 21