India has recognized the need for developing AI capabilities and has invested INR 10, 732 crores in its  AI Mission

For the next segment of the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave 2025, Mr. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY talked about AI’s role in transforming various sectors, the challenges of moderating AI-generated content, intellectual property concerns, regulation needs and India’s AI mission, which focuses on ethical AI deployment and cybersecurity. It is aimed at empowering citizens with credible, real-time information and reinforcing India’s position as a leader in AI-driven media transformation.

Mr. Singh explained that with the advent of advanced AI models, India has recognised the need for developing AI capabilities and has invested INR 10, 732 crores in its India AI Mission. He also explained the seven pillars on which this mission is based and they can be categorised as:

Expanding access to computing resources,with 18,000 GPUs for AI application development.

Launching an India-specific data platform that will make data accessible for trainingof AI models, based on Indian data sets

Supporting AI-based applications in essential sectors like agriculture, health care and climate change

Upskilling and training youth across India for AI-related jobs

Funding AI startups to take this journey forward Encouraging the development of Indian AI
models

Funding research to ensure that the use of AI remains ethical and unbiased

He also added that the Indian government is exploring the issues related to intellectual property (IP) laws and AI-generated content infringing on copyright laws and with adequate information and research, they are sure to chart a way forward that minimises these issues.

When it comes to the regulation of AI, Mr. Singh said that there may be a need arisingfor techno-legal approach to AI, which can help address misinformation, deepfakes, and labeling of AI-generated content. He acknowledged that while the existing laws and regulations can curb some of these issues, we may need to refine the regulations to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology. In his concluding remarks, he stressed on the importance of collaboration between tech firms, policy makers and legal firms for fostering an environment of innovation and shared the vision for AI in India, where India seeks to be a leader in AI innovation, while upholding safety, trust and ethics.

In conversation with Mr. Puneet Gupt, COO, Times Internet (Vice Chairperson, DNPA), Mr. Singh elaborated on the evolution of this India AI Mission and how it came into being. He said that while the Indian IT industry has been involved in AI-related projects for a while, a significant initiative was the National Program on AI, an INR 500 crore project focused on developing tools for safe and trusted AI and scalable AI applications. He also cited a PwC report that highlighted that India is poised to have a $500 billion data economy, and AI could add up to $957 billion to the digital economy, creating approximately 45 lakh jobs. Given these advances, the government recognised the need to identify gaps in our AI-approach and established six working groups in 2023 toexamine these gaps and the India AI Mission is a direct result of their research.

Mr. Singh highlighted that while not explicitly stated, the news and media industry is integral to the India AI Mission, benefiting from government-backed innovations, research, and startups.

Mr. Gupt emphasized the depth of journalistic work—combining rigorous reporting, storytelling, and writing—stressing that while AI can generate content, it cannot replace journalism. The Secretary encouraged DNPA and its members to contribute their perspectives on ensuring AI’s role remains sustainable and ethical in the industry.They also discussed the importance of having the valuable datasets from media houses, which can in turn, help develop AI models. The Secretary also expanded on this by reversing the process, wherein the government is actively working towards creating data sets from all sectors (including the government) that can help those who wish to leverage it, for training and developing AI models.

Mr. Singh outlined the evaluation criteria for AI business proposals, assuring that top experts would assess them based on team credentials, past research, and viability. He emphasized the need for AI literacy and detailed the government’s plan, including the “AI for All” model—a primer on AI’s benefits, risks, and identification.

They concluded the talk by engaging with the audience in an open discussion about the India AI Mission.