'India on track for AI revolution': IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Rising Bharat Summit

India is poised to be among the global leaders in the development and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi.

In a conversation with Moneycontrol’s Nalin Mehta and Chandra Srikanth, the minister firmly stated that India is not lagging behind in the AI race— in fact, it is moving swiftly to claim its spot among the frontrunners.

“We are very much in the race. We will be among the top few countries who will be able to harness its powers,” Vaishnaw said, underscoring the government’s confidence and ongoing efforts to integrate AI into India’s technological ecosystem.

India’s AI and semiconductor momentum

The minister’s remarks at Rising Bharat come amid the broader push by the Indian government to create a robust ecosystem for emerging technologies, especially semiconductors— the critical hardware underpinning AI systems. Speaking via video conference at the Global Investors Summit 2025 in Bhopal, Vaishnaw had announced in February that India’s first Made in India semiconductor chip is expected to be ready by September 2025.

At an event in February this year, Vaishnaw had highlighted that five semiconductor units are currently under simultaneous construction — a significant stride for a country that only recently entered the chip manufacturing domain.

More from India

India boosts semiconductor manufacturing with Rs 4,600 cr Cabinet approval for 4 new units The tale of Minta Devi, the ‘124-year-old’ who has become the face of opposition’s protest at Parliament

To build long-term capacity and ensure sustained momentum, the government has launched a program to train 85,000 engineers in advanced semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. This initiative aims to strengthen India’s talent pipeline and reduce dependency on foreign expertise.

A caution on AI bias

While the optimism around AI and chip-making is high, Vaishnaw also sounded a note of caution regarding the ethical implications of AI systems. “Bias in AI can be very dangerous,” he said, pointing to the risks of unregulated algorithms. “It can play out very negatively,” he warned, emphasising the importance of safeguards, fairness, and responsible governance as AI adoption scales up.

The minister’s words reflect growing global concern about how AI models can amplify societal biases if not designed and deployed carefully. With India’s massive population and diverse social fabric, ensuring that AI tools are equitable and transparent is likely to become a cornerstone of future regulation.