Source The Hindu
NEW DELHI — As India prepares to host the landmark India AI Impact Summit 2026, S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has highlighted a transformative shift in the nation’s technological landscape. Speaking at a recent industry forum, Krishnan emphasized that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a tool for automation but a primary engine for high-quality governance and massive job creation.
AI as the New Backbone of Public Service
Krishnan noted that while global conversations often focus on AI’s risks, India is pivoting toward its “productive use.” He identified governance as a key sector where AI can bridge the gap between policy and implementation.
“There are many areas, including governance, where all of us would like to see substantial enhancement in quality, and that probably is something that AI can offer,” Krishnan stated. By leveraging AI to analyze vast datasets, the government aims to:
Enhance Efficiency: Streamlining public service delivery from healthcare to agriculture.
Localized Solutions: Using the Bhashini platform to provide services in 22+ Indian languages, ensuring no citizen is left behind due to a linguistic divide.
Data-Driven Policy: Utilizing real-time insights for better urban planning and resource allocation.
The 4 Million Job Forecast
Addressing the persistent anxiety regarding AI-induced layoffs, the Secretary provided a reassuring outlook backed by industry data. He projected that the combination of AI and the burgeoning semiconductor industry could create nearly 4 million new electronics and tech roles by 2030.
While acknowledging that traditional “routine” coding roles might decline, Krishnan highlighted the surge in demand for:
AI Application Developers: Building sector-specific tools for the “Global South.”
Semiconductor Technicians: Supporting the four new chip plants slated for commercial production in late 2026.
Reskilled Professionals: Moving from basic programming to complex AI-integrated systems.
Sovereignty and Global Leadership
A central pillar of this strategy is the development of India’s sovereign AI model. Krishnan confirmed that this model, trained entirely on Indian datasets and hosted on domestic servers, is expected to launch alongside the February Summit. This move is designed to ensure “strategic autonomy,” preventing a monopoly by a few global tech giants.
“India is ranked third in the AI Vibrancy Index. We are not just users of AI; we are becoming the global capital for AI applications,” Krishnan remarked.
The Secretary concluded by stressing that the government’s role is to provide the “AI Compute” infrastructure—the raw processing power—so that startups and researchers can innovate without the barrier of high entry costs.
What’s Next?
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is scheduled for February 16–20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. It is expected to draw global leaders, including Jensen Huang and Sundar Pichai, to discuss “Democratizing AI.”
