In a landmark move towards shaping India’s artificial intelligence future, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Wednesday unveiled the India AI Governance Guidelines under the IndiaAI Mission, laying the foundation for a safe, inclusive, and responsible AI ecosystem across sectors.

The guidelines aim to balance innovation and accountability, ensuring that AI serves as a catalyst for inclusive growth and public trust, ANI reported.

They are structured around seven guiding principles, Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness & Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, and Safety, Resilience & Sustainability, forming what the government calls the “Seven Sutras” of India’s AI governance philosophy.

Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood highlighted the core ethos of the framework, stating that the guiding principle of India’s AI approach is “Do No Harm”.

He underscored that India’s framework will combine innovation sandboxes and risk mitigation mechanisms within a flexible and adaptive regulatory environment, ensuring AI innovation thrives without compromising societal safety.

Echoing this vision, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan said the India AI Governance Guidelines mark a significant step towards human-centric and responsible AI development, focusing on mitigating potential harms while ensuring that AI innovation is ethical and inclusive. He noted that India’s approach anchored in its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), will position the country as a global example in safe AI adoption.

The document details a comprehensive framework that integrates governance, regulation, and oversight mechanisms. It includes the establishment of the AI Governance Group (AIGG), supported by the Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) and the AI Safety Institute (AISI).

These institutions will coordinate national AI policy, risk assessment, and technical safety standards.

The guidelines also feature an Action Plan outlining short, medium, and long-term measures, from developing India-specific AI risk frameworks and incident reporting systems to launching awareness programs, creating liability regimes, and piloting regulatory sandboxes for emerging AI technologies.

Marking a key milestone ahead of the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, the release reflects India’s determination to lead global AI governance dialogues, especially for the Global South.

The unveiling of the India AI Governance Guidelines underscores India’s resolve to build a future-ready, safe, and trusted AI ecosystem, reinforcing its commitment to use technology as a force for good ensuring AI remains ethical, inclusive, and accountable.