Government unveils India’s first AI governance guidelines ahead of AI Impact Summit 2026

Key facts

• India released its first comprehensive AI governance guidelines on Sunday, opting for a principle-based framework over a new law.
• The framework is anchored in seven principles: trust as foundation, people first, innovation over restraint, fairness and equity, accountability, understandable by design, and safety, resilience and sustainability.
• Guidelines apply to AI development and use across healthcare, education, agriculture, finance and governance sectors.
• Existing laws such as IT rules, data protection laws and criminal statutes will cover AI-related risks instead of a standalone AI law.
• New proposed institutions include an AI governance group for inter-ministerial coordination, a technology and policy expert committee for expert inputs, and an AI safety institute for testing standards and risk assessment.
• Developers and deployers must publish transparency reports, disclose AI-generated content, provide grievance redressal, and cooperate with regulators.
• High-risk AI applications affecting safety, rights or livelihoods must follow stronger safeguards and human oversight.
• The five-day AI Impact Summit 2026 begins on Monday, positioning India as a global voice for responsible and inclusive AI governance aligned with ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.