India Moves Towards AI Governance Framework With Public Consultation Plan

The Centre will release an AI consultation paper in the coming weeks to seek public views on governing the technology.

What Has the Government Announced?

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government is preparing a consultation paper on artificial intelligence to gather opinions from citizens, businesses, industry representatives and subject matter experts. Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Friday, Vaishnaw said the document would be released in the coming weeks. The exercise is intended to bring different perspectives into discussions on how AI should be governed in India.

The announcement comes as artificial intelligence is being adopted across industries, creating opportunities for innovation while raising concerns about safety, accountability and potential misuse. The minister did not announce a draft AI law or provide a timetable for introducing legislation.

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Who Will Participate in the Consultation?

The government intends to seek views from a broad range of stakeholders, including those developing AI systems, businesses using the technology and citizens affected by its growing presence. Vaishnaw identified banking, manufacturing, services, insurance and financial services among the sectors witnessing rapid AI adoption.

He said businesses increasingly recognise both the benefits that artificial intelligence can provide and the potential harm associated with its use. The consultation will allow stakeholders to present their concerns and priorities before the government determines its approach to AI governance.

Input from different industries and sections of society is expected to help policymakers understand how the technology is being deployed and what safeguards may be necessary.

Why Is Human Control Important?

Vaishnaw stressed that artificial intelligence should remain human-centric, with people retaining control over AI models, autonomous agents, their operations and their outcomes. He also called for mechanisms capable of stopping AI systems if they begin operating beyond human control.

According to the minister, countries developing major AI ecosystems will need to work towards common principles for evaluating artificial intelligence, even while competing to build more advanced models and applications. He argued that technological progress should not compromise human safety.

The emphasis on human oversight reflects concerns about increasingly autonomous systems and the need to ensure that their actions remain subject to appropriate controls.

As AI applications become more widely used, the government considers such safeguards important for managing risks associated with the technology.

Will India Introduce a Separate AI Law?

The announcement does not establish whether India will introduce standalone legislation governing artificial intelligence. Vaishnaw did not specify whether the consultation would lead to a new law, amendments to existing legislation or another regulatory framework. Instead, the proposed exercise will help identify concerns and priorities that policymakers may consider while assessing possible governance measures.

A central challenge will be developing safeguards that address genuine risks without unnecessarily restricting businesses and researchers working on useful AI applications. The government’s next steps will depend on how it evaluates the feedback received through the consultation process.

The420 Insight: The proposed consultation offers an opportunity to examine AI safety, accountability and human oversight before specific regulatory measures are decided. For sectors such as banking and financial services, the discussion could help clarify expectations around the responsible use of increasingly autonomous systems. However, no binding AI rules or legislative proposals have been announced as part of this exercise.