The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, convened a high-level Panel Discussion on Artificial Intelligence at the Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025).

Chaired by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, the session brought together leading voices from government, academia, and industry to explore how India can harness AI responsibly to drive innovation, inclusion, and global competitiveness.

It also set the stage for the upcoming India - AI Impact Summit 2026, focusing on India’s evolving AI ecosystem — from expanding digital infrastructure and advancing indigenous large language models to strengthening ethical AI governance and fostering international collaboration.

Opening the session, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said, “The critical aspect of all technology is the impact it has on society, how it enhances quality of life, and what it offers to the people of the country. For India, this is truly an opportunity to leverage a horizontal, cross-cutting technology like AI to ensure the country is firmly on the path to becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047.”

Highlighting the IndiaAI Mission’s integrated approach to building a world-class AI ecosystem, Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Director General, National Informatics Centre & CEO, IndiaAI Mission; said “To unlock pathways for AI innovation, the IndiaAI Mission is addressing all the gaps that exist in our story. Our biggest advantage is the human capital we have, but to build AI models and applications, we also need accessible computers, quality datasets, and sustained investment. Through the Mission’s seven-pillar strategy, including low-cost computers, data platforms, foundation models, startup support, and tools for safe and trustworthy AI, we are creating an ecosystem that enables India to catch up with the best in the world. The goal is to build AI applications that not only serve India’s needs but also set global benchmarks for innovation, ethics, and trust.”

Sharing insights on India’s unique potential to build indigenous AI capabilities despite resource constraints Dr. Sridhar Vembu, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Zoho Corporation said “We have to find a different pathway to overcome budgets and resource restraints. As a technologist, I’ve been closely involved in this, and I truly believe there are better, alternative ways forward. In fact, when you don’t have all the resources available, those very constraints push you to come up with better solutions. I genuinely believe there is new science waiting to be discovered, a completely different foundation that could change how we approach these problems.”

The session opened with talks by leading innovators and researchers, who shared insights on AI’s transformative potential across sectors. Dr. Geeta Manjunath, Founder, CEO & CTO of Niramai Health Analytix, shared how AI-driven innovations are making breast cancer detection more affordable and accessible, bridging healthcare inequities. Dr. Sriram Raghavan, Vice President, IBM Research (AI), emphasized the power of open innovation ecosystems in accelerating AI progress. Dr. Amit Sheth, NCR Chair & Professor, and Founding Director of the AI Institute at the University of South Carolina, spoke about the evolution from generic AI to purpose-driven, domain-specific systems driving productivity in sectors like energy, power, and manufacturing.

This was followed by a panel discussion on “Responsible AI for Innovation and Inclusion”, moderated by Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Co-founder, DeepTech for Bharat Foundation and Former CEO, Prasar Bharati. The discussion featured an engaging exchange of ideas among distinguished panelists such as Dr. Harrick Mayank Vin, CTO, Tata Consultancy Services, Mumbai; Prof. Balaraman Ravindran, Head, Department of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras; Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Director General, National Informatics Centre & CEO, IndiaAI Mission; Dr. Rimjhim Agrawal, Co-Founder & CTO, BrainSightAI, Bengaluru; Smt. Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog, and Former President, NASSCOM; and Prof. P. Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore.

The panel explored India’s evolving AI ecosystem from expanding digital infrastructure and developing indigenous large language models to advancing ethical AI governance and fostering global partnerships emphasizing the need to align technological progress with the country’s developmental priorities and social inclusion goals.

****

Dharmendra Tewari\Navin Sreejith