The AI Policy Podcast

Episode: Previewing India's AI Impact Summit with MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan
Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Gregory C. Allen (CSIS Wadhwani Center)
Guest: S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gregory C. Allen sits down with S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, to preview the highly anticipated India AI Impact Summit. Their discussion covers India’s AI policy landscape, MeitY’s evolving role, the country’s unique optimism about AI, infrastructure challenges, and the summit’s goals in shaping not only India's, but the Global South’s, future in AI. The episode is filled with specifics about India's regulatory approach, AI adoption in various sectors, digital public infrastructure, and how the upcoming summit aims to drive tangible impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Role and Mandate of MeitY

[00:56–04:18]

Structure and Evolution
- MeitY oversees digital and electronic innovation: semiconductor space, IT hardware, mobile phones, and more.
- Regulates under the Information Technology Act, responsible for cyber law and cybersecurity.
- Manages the promotion of India's IT, ICT, and IT-enabled services sectors.
- Quote:
  "Our brief basically consists of looking at the electronics industry ... all the electronics which goes into, you know, the entire semiconductor space and all the consumer electronics, IT hardware, mobile phones..." — S. Krishnan [01:43]
Exclusions
- Communications under a separate department (DoT).
- Broadcasting handled by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

2. MeitY’s Role in India's AI Policy

[04:18–06:06]

Facilitator, Promoter, and Coordinator
- MeitY sees itself more as a promoter and facilitator than just a regulator.
- Coordination between government, industry, academia, and research organizations.
- Runs the $1.25 billion India AI Mission, focused on supporting innovation and collaboration.
Quote:
"We'd like to look at ourselves primarily as a promoter supporting the development of this particular sector and a facilitator..." — S. Krishnan [04:46]

3. AI Adoption and Optimism in India

[06:06–14:49]

Key Sectors Benefiting from AI
- Rapid adoption in IT, finance/fintech, medical diagnostics, governance (e.g., road condition monitoring using delivery vehicle cameras).
- Unlike the West, India’s AI use is more skewed towards productive outcomes rather than consumer entertainment.
- Quote:
  "In India, the adoption has been much greater in more productive users. ... Most of them have used it for some productive purpose." — S. Krishnan [07:34]
Startup Ecosystem
- Third largest in the world, vibrant, and applications-focused.
- Indian startups excel in creating real-world AI applications for deployment and competition globally.
Public Attitude Towards AI
- A recent Pew survey showed greater AI optimism in India than in the U.S.
- Reasons: fewer white-collar jobs at risk, AI seen as a tool for leapfrogging development, and leadership messaging.
- Quote:
  "We look at AI as probably the one opportunity to leapfrog and try and, you know, make sure that development and growth accelerates in key sectors." — S. Krishnan [12:46]
- Prime Minister’s public optimism has influenced national sentiment.

4. Major Challenges for AI in India

[14:49–18:00]

Infrastructure
- Need to quickly build local compute capacity.
- India’s approach: subsidize demand (users) rather than just infrastructure providers, aiming for accessibility to innovators and researchers.
Energy
- Easier to source green power due to India’s extensive renewable resources.
Data Localization & Diversity
- Need for local data, in Indian languages, for unbiased, culturally relevant models.
Quote:
"We will have to set up adequate compute facility...we will support the demand for AI so that private sector operators... offer it for use at a particular agreed upon price..." — S. Krishnan [15:22]

5. India's Policy & Regulatory Approach to AI

[18:00–23:31]

Ecosystem of Stakeholders
- Collaboration with the Principal Scientific Adviser, various ministries (education, health, agriculture, commerce), MSME ministry, and regular oversight from the Prime Minister’s Office.
New AI Governance Guidelines (Nov 2025)
- Emphasis on adapting existing frameworks instead of rushing new, stringent AI regulations.
- Voluntary compliance and industry self-regulation prioritized.
- Recent data protection law (DPDP) covers privacy.
- Quote:
  "We don't want to rush headlong into a tight regulation on AI. I think there's a lot of room for innovation." — S. Krishnan [20:12]
- Only legislate new rules if truly necessary; no plans for premature or blanket AI laws.

6. The India AI Impact Summit (Feb 2026): Vision and Structure

[23:31–30:55]

Summit Goals & Distinctives
- Theme: "People, Planet, Progress"—putting positive human impact and inclusion at the forefront.
- Emphasis on resilience (supply chains, diversity), democratizing access, and concrete developmental outcomes.
- First major AI summit hosted in a Global South nation, aiming to show AI as a development "leapfrog" opportunity.
- Quote:
  "We have tried to move away from the emphasis on safety and other issues to actually focusing on what it can do for human development and humanity at large." — S. Krishnan [13:51]
Inclusion & Global South Leadership
- Frugal innovation and digital public infrastructure as models to follow.
- Goal: promote South-to-South knowledge exchange and collaboration.

7. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a Foundation for AI

[30:55–37:33]

What is Digital Public Infrastructure?
- Layers: Aadhaar (biometric ID), mobile networks, banking (Jan Dhan Yojana), digital wallets, e-documents (DigiLocker), and instant payments (UPI).
- Enables efficient, secure, and inclusive public service & economic participation.
- Quote:
  "A biometric mechanism of actually establishing identity with privacy fully protected and data completely safe, which is what our Aadhaar system...has managed to achieve." — S. Krishnan [31:52]
AI Use Cases
- AI on top of digital infrastructure can enable micro-credit, financial inclusion, document verification, and more—especially relevant for the underbanked and small vendors.
- The vast quantity of transactional data opens possibilities for credit risk modeling and tailored governance.

8. Summit Format, Agenda & Anticipated Deliverables

[39:29–52:53]

Summit Logistics
- Five-day event (from Feb 16, 2026), large expo (50,000+ sqm), 400+ startups, global and Indian company pavilions.
- 700+ proposal submissions for sessions.
Pre-events
- Taking place in India and globally to build momentum and foster early engagement.
Anticipated Outcomes
- Leaders’ declaration articulating key summit themes.
- High-level policy documents from seven working groups.
- Showcasing investments, real-world applications, and startup innovations.
- South-to-South collaboration as a focus, with 14+ co-chairing countries and participation from 50+ heads of state or ministers.
- Quote:
  "If we are able to build good applications which can be deployed, it can make a significant difference across the world." — S. Krishnan [52:21]
Ensuring Real Impact
- Multi-stakeholder action emphasized: public, private, academia, civil society.
- Concrete outcomes: resource democratization, application development, partnerships.
- Avoid “talk shop” by focusing on tangible outputs: models, infrastructure, processes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On India’s Promoter Role:
"We'd like to look at ourselves primarily as a promoter supporting the development of this particular sector and a facilitator..." — S. Krishnan [04:46]
On Productive AI Use:
"In India, the adoption has been much greater in more productive users..." — S. Krishnan [07:34]
On Optimism & Leapfrogging:
"We look at AI as probably the one opportunity to leapfrog... development and growth accelerates in key sectors..." — S. Krishnan [12:46]
On Regulatory Restraint:
"We don't want to rush headlong into a tight regulation on AI. I think there's a lot of room for innovation." — S. Krishnan [20:12]
On Digital Public Infrastructure:
"A biometric mechanism of actually establishing identity with privacy fully protected and data completely safe, which is what our Aadhaar system...has managed to achieve." — S. Krishnan [31:52]
On Global South Cooperation:
"It's an opportunity for countries of the Global south to learn from each other... establish that bridge and establish that partnership..." — S. Krishnan [46:40]
On Impact:
"If we are able to build good applications which can be deployed, it can make a significant difference across the world." — S. Krishnan [52:21]

Key Timestamps Guide

[00:56] – MeitY’s mandate and scope
[04:46] – MeitY’s role (“promoter”, “facilitator”, “coordinator”)
[06:28] – Sectors with rapid AI adoption in India
[10:01] – India’s startup ecosystem and application focus
[12:05] – Why India is more optimistic on AI than the West
[15:08] – Biggest AI challenges: infrastructure, compute, local data
[18:20] – AI policy stakeholders in India
[20:03] – India’s new AI Governance guidelines & regulatory philosophy
[23:46] – Main goals of the AI Impact Summit
[28:49] – What AI as a leapfrog technology looks like
[31:31] – India’s digital public infrastructure: Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker
[37:33] – AI use cases enabled by digital public infrastructure
[39:50] – Summit logistics, agenda, pre-events
[44:01] – Expected deliverables and summit outcomes
[46:28] – South-to-South dialogue emphasis
[47:25] – International partnerships and working group co-chairs
[49:37] – High-profile summit attendees
[50:43] – Ensuring the summit drives real impact

Final Thoughts

The India AI Impact Summit is designed to be an action-driven, inclusive, and globally relevant gathering, foregrounding AI’s developmental and human impact.
India’s approach to AI policy—supportive, flexible, and collaborative—stresses productivity, inclusion, and South-South cooperation.
MeitY aims for the summit to catalyze real momentum on infrastructural, regulatory, and application fronts, ensuring AI benefits are widely realized.

For further updates, visit the CSIS website and follow the India AI Impact Summit online.

The AI Policy Podcast

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Role and Mandate of MeitY

[00:56–04:18]

Structure and Evolution
- MeitY oversees digital and electronic innovation: semiconductor space, IT hardware, mobile phones, and more.
- Regulates under the Information Technology Act, responsible for cyber law and cybersecurity.
- Manages the promotion of India's IT, ICT, and IT-enabled services sectors.
- Quote:
  "Our brief basically consists of looking at the electronics industry ... all the electronics which goes into, you know, the entire semiconductor space and all the consumer electronics, IT hardware, mobile phones..." — S. Krishnan [01:43]
Exclusions
- Communications under a separate department (DoT).
- Broadcasting handled by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

2. MeitY’s Role in India's AI Policy

[04:18–06:06]

Facilitator, Promoter, and Coordinator
- MeitY sees itself more as a promoter and facilitator than just a regulator.
- Coordination between government, industry, academia, and research organizations.
- Runs the $1.25 billion India AI Mission, focused on supporting innovation and collaboration.
Quote:
"We'd like to look at ourselves primarily as a promoter supporting the development of this particular sector and a facilitator..." — S. Krishnan [04:46]

3. AI Adoption and Optimism in India

[06:06–14:49]

Key Sectors Benefiting from AI
- Rapid adoption in IT, finance/fintech, medical diagnostics, governance (e.g., road condition monitoring using delivery vehicle cameras).
- Unlike the West, India’s AI use is more skewed towards productive outcomes rather than consumer entertainment.
- Quote:
  "In India, the adoption has been much greater in more productive users. ... Most of them have used it for some productive purpose." — S. Krishnan [07:34]
Startup Ecosystem
- Third largest in the world, vibrant, and applications-focused.
- Indian startups excel in creating real-world AI applications for deployment and competition globally.
Public Attitude Towards AI
- A recent Pew survey showed greater AI optimism in India than in the U.S.
- Reasons: fewer white-collar jobs at risk, AI seen as a tool for leapfrogging development, and leadership messaging.
- Quote:
  "We look at AI as probably the one opportunity to leapfrog and try and, you know, make sure that development and growth accelerates in key sectors." — S. Krishnan [12:46]
- Prime Minister’s public optimism has influenced national sentiment.

4. Major Challenges for AI in India

[14:49–18:00]

Infrastructure
- Need to quickly build local compute capacity.
- India’s approach: subsidize demand (users) rather than just infrastructure providers, aiming for accessibility to innovators and researchers.
Energy
- Easier to source green power due to India’s extensive renewable resources.
Data Localization & Diversity
- Need for local data, in Indian languages, for unbiased, culturally relevant models.
Quote:
"We will have to set up adequate compute facility...we will support the demand for AI so that private sector operators... offer it for use at a particular agreed upon price..." — S. Krishnan [15:22]

5. India's Policy & Regulatory Approach to AI

[18:00–23:31]

Ecosystem of Stakeholders
- Collaboration with the Principal Scientific Adviser, various ministries (education, health, agriculture, commerce), MSME ministry, and regular oversight from the Prime Minister’s Office.
New AI Governance Guidelines (Nov 2025)
- Emphasis on adapting existing frameworks instead of rushing new, stringent AI regulations.
- Voluntary compliance and industry self-regulation prioritized.
- Recent data protection law (DPDP) covers privacy.
- Quote:
  "We don't want to rush headlong into a tight regulation on AI. I think there's a lot of room for innovation." — S. Krishnan [20:12]
- Only legislate new rules if truly necessary; no plans for premature or blanket AI laws.

6. The India AI Impact Summit (Feb 2026): Vision and Structure

[23:31–30:55]

Summit Goals & Distinctives
- Theme: "People, Planet, Progress"—putting positive human impact and inclusion at the forefront.
- Emphasis on resilience (supply chains, diversity), democratizing access, and concrete developmental outcomes.
- First major AI summit hosted in a Global South nation, aiming to show AI as a development "leapfrog" opportunity.
- Quote:
  "We have tried to move away from the emphasis on safety and other issues to actually focusing on what it can do for human development and humanity at large." — S. Krishnan [13:51]
Inclusion & Global South Leadership
- Frugal innovation and digital public infrastructure as models to follow.
- Goal: promote South-to-South knowledge exchange and collaboration.

7. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a Foundation for AI

[30:55–37:33]

What is Digital Public Infrastructure?
- Layers: Aadhaar (biometric ID), mobile networks, banking (Jan Dhan Yojana), digital wallets, e-documents (DigiLocker), and instant payments (UPI).
- Enables efficient, secure, and inclusive public service & economic participation.
- Quote:
  "A biometric mechanism of actually establishing identity with privacy fully protected and data completely safe, which is what our Aadhaar system...has managed to achieve." — S. Krishnan [31:52]
AI Use Cases
- AI on top of digital infrastructure can enable micro-credit, financial inclusion, document verification, and more—especially relevant for the underbanked and small vendors.
- The vast quantity of transactional data opens possibilities for credit risk modeling and tailored governance.

8. Summit Format, Agenda & Anticipated Deliverables

[39:29–52:53]

Summit Logistics
- Five-day event (from Feb 16, 2026), large expo (50,000+ sqm), 400+ startups, global and Indian company pavilions.
- 700+ proposal submissions for sessions.
Pre-events
- Taking place in India and globally to build momentum and foster early engagement.
Anticipated Outcomes
- Leaders’ declaration articulating key summit themes.
- High-level policy documents from seven working groups.
- Showcasing investments, real-world applications, and startup innovations.
- South-to-South collaboration as a focus, with 14+ co-chairing countries and participation from 50+ heads of state or ministers.
- Quote:
  "If we are able to build good applications which can be deployed, it can make a significant difference across the world." — S. Krishnan [52:21]
Ensuring Real Impact
- Multi-stakeholder action emphasized: public, private, academia, civil society.
- Concrete outcomes: resource democratization, application development, partnerships.
- Avoid “talk shop” by focusing on tangible outputs: models, infrastructure, processes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On India’s Promoter Role:
"We'd like to look at ourselves primarily as a promoter supporting the development of this particular sector and a facilitator..." — S. Krishnan [04:46]
On Productive AI Use:
"In India, the adoption has been much greater in more productive users..." — S. Krishnan [07:34]
On Optimism & Leapfrogging:
"We look at AI as probably the one opportunity to leapfrog... development and growth accelerates in key sectors..." — S. Krishnan [12:46]
On Regulatory Restraint:
"We don't want to rush headlong into a tight regulation on AI. I think there's a lot of room for innovation." — S. Krishnan [20:12]
On Digital Public Infrastructure:
"A biometric mechanism of actually establishing identity with privacy fully protected and data completely safe, which is what our Aadhaar system...has managed to achieve." — S. Krishnan [31:52]
On Global South Cooperation:
"It's an opportunity for countries of the Global south to learn from each other... establish that bridge and establish that partnership..." — S. Krishnan [46:40]
On Impact:
"If we are able to build good applications which can be deployed, it can make a significant difference across the world." — S. Krishnan [52:21]

Key Timestamps Guide

[00:56] – MeitY’s mandate and scope
[04:46] – MeitY’s role (“promoter”, “facilitator”, “coordinator”)
[06:28] – Sectors with rapid AI adoption in India
[10:01] – India’s startup ecosystem and application focus
[12:05] – Why India is more optimistic on AI than the West
[15:08] – Biggest AI challenges: infrastructure, compute, local data
[18:20] – AI policy stakeholders in India
[20:03] – India’s new AI Governance guidelines & regulatory philosophy
[23:46] – Main goals of the AI Impact Summit
[28:49] – What AI as a leapfrog technology looks like
[31:31] – India’s digital public infrastructure: Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker
[37:33] – AI use cases enabled by digital public infrastructure
[39:50] – Summit logistics, agenda, pre-events
[44:01] – Expected deliverables and summit outcomes
[46:28] – South-to-South dialogue emphasis
[47:25] – International partnerships and working group co-chairs
[49:37] – High-profile summit attendees
[50:43] – Ensuring the summit drives real impact

Final Thoughts

The India AI Impact Summit is designed to be an action-driven, inclusive, and globally relevant gathering, foregrounding AI’s developmental and human impact.
India’s approach to AI policy—supportive, flexible, and collaborative—stresses productivity, inclusion, and South-South cooperation.
MeitY aims for the summit to catalyze real momentum on infrastructural, regulatory, and application fronts, ensuring AI benefits are widely realized.

For further updates, visit the CSIS website and follow the India AI Impact Summit online.

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Previewing India's AI Impact Summit with MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan

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Summary

The AI Policy Podcast

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Role and Mandate of MeitY

2. MeitY’s Role in India's AI Policy

3. AI Adoption and Optimism in India

4. Major Challenges for AI in India

5. India's Policy & Regulatory Approach to AI

6. The India AI Impact Summit (Feb 2026): Vision and Structure

7. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a Foundation for AI

8. Summit Format, Agenda & Anticipated Deliverables

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps Guide

Final Thoughts

Summary

The AI Policy Podcast

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Role and Mandate of MeitY

2. MeitY’s Role in India's AI Policy

3. AI Adoption and Optimism in India

4. Major Challenges for AI in India

5. India's Policy & Regulatory Approach to AI

6. The India AI Impact Summit (Feb 2026): Vision and Structure

7. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a Foundation for AI

8. Summit Format, Agenda & Anticipated Deliverables

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps Guide

Final Thoughts