AI Governance Group – India’s Major Push Towards Responsible AI Governance

The Government of India is preparing to constitute the AI Governance Group (AIGG) along with a dedicated Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) by December, marking a significant milestone in the country’s roadmap for safe and trusted artificial intelligence. This step comes shortly after the release of India’s AI governance guidelines, which outline key principles to build a responsible AI ecosystem with national oversight.

With the upcoming India AI Summit scheduled for February next year, policymakers are accelerating efforts to ensure that India is fully prepared to discuss progress, demonstrate readiness, and showcase a unified approach across ministries and regulators. The formation of the AI Governance Group is central to this plan, positioning India among the nations that are proactively developing structured governance for AI.

Why India Needs an AI Governance Group

India is experiencing an unprecedented surge in AI adoption—across government, finance, healthcare, agriculture, education, and the startup ecosystem. This rapid scale brings immense opportunities, but it also raises crucial questions related to:

• Data privacy
• Algorithmic transparency
• National security
• Deepfake misuse
• AI bias and discrimination
• Compliance and regulatory oversight
• Societal and economic impact

Recognising these concerns, MeitY officials have confirmed that the AI Governance Group will be operational by next month. Its establishment will ensure that policymaking for AI is not fragmented across ministries but instead aligned under a clear and cohesive national framework.

One senior official explained to ET that finalising an India-specific AI risk assessment system is among the highest priority tasks before the India AI Summit. This reinforces the need for a strong central governance structure.

What the AI Governance Group Will Do

The AI Governance Group (AIGG) has been envisaged as a small, permanent, inter-agency body with the mandate to coordinate India’s AI policy across ministries and regulators. It will be responsible for:

1. Unified AI Policy Development

The AIGG will ensure that policy decisions are consistent across sectors and government departments, avoiding conflicting interpretations or fragmented strategies.

2. Coordination Across Ministries

Since AI impacts diverse sectors—finance, health, telecom, education, governance—the group will bring together ministries:

• Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)
• Ministry of Home Affairs
• Ministry of External Affairs
• Department of Science & Technology
• Department of Telecommunications

3. Integration with Sectoral Regulators

AI adoption cannot succeed without regulatory confidence. Thus, the group will include representatives from major regulators:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
• Competition Commission of India (CCI)
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
• University Grants Commission (UGC)
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• NITI Aayog

This ensures that AI policy discussions include compliance, risk mitigation, consumer protection, and ethical considerations across industries.

4. Overseeing National AI Priorities

The AIGG will initiate work on five critical action areas outlined in the AI governance framework. Among them, the development of an India-specific AI risk classification model is expected to take center stage.

5. Facilitating inter-agency collaboration

The group will serve as a common platform for addressing cross-sector AI issues, reducing gaps in understanding between technology teams, legal departments, and policymakers.

Who Will Lead the AI Governance Group?

The group will be chaired by the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India. Since 2023, the PSA has already been leading a high-level advisory group on AI issues. This continuity ensures:

• Technical leadership
• Stability in policymaking
• Strategic alignment with India’s research ecosystem
• A science-driven approach to regulation

With representation from scientific, regulatory, administrative, and policy institutions, the AI Governance Group will operate as the central node of India’s AI decision-making structure.

Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC): India’s Specialist Advisory Team

Alongside the AI Governance Group, the government will also establish the Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) to support strategic decision-making and implementation.

According to officials, TPEC will:

1. Advise on Strategy & Implementation

While the AIGG focuses on governance, TPEC will provide domain expertise and technical guidance on how policies should be executed.

2. Assist in Policy Drafting

From risk assessment to AI safety protocols, TPEC will support drafting actionable guidelines.

3. Bring Domain-Specific Expertise

The group will include experts from:

• AI research
• Emerging technologies
• Machine learning engineering
• Data science
• Law and technology policy
• Cybercrime investigation
• Public administration

This multidisciplinary structure ensures that India’s AI policies are not just well-intentioned but also practical, implementable, and future-ready.

4. Support Regulatory Sandboxes

NASSCOM has emphasised that a detailed plan for regulatory sandboxes and AI tool-testing frameworks must be quickly operationalised. TPEC will likely take the lead on this.

5. Work with the AI Safety Institute

The newly created AI Safety Institute will serve as the central authority for AI testing, risk analysis, and safety evaluation. TPEC will collaborate with the Institute to refine safety measures, certifications, and AI system evaluations.

How AIGG and TPEC Will Strengthen India’s AI Governance

Together, the AIGG and TPEC form a comprehensive governance ecosystem. Their roles complement each other:

This dual-layered structure ensures that policy is driven by governance, while execution is guided by experts.

Why AI Governance Matters Now

India is moving rapidly toward large-scale AI adoption:

• Government services are adopting AI for citizen delivery
• Startups are building India-specific LLMs
• Banks and regulators are using AI for risk monitoring
• Deepfakes are becoming a growing threat
• Cybercrime cases involving AI are rising
• AI is entering classrooms, hospitals, and courts

Given this pace, the absence of a unified governance structure would risk fragmented rules and uneven adoption.

The new framework ensures:

• Safe AI adoption
• Reduced misuse
• Trust among businesses and citizens
• Regulatory clarity for startups
• Better international positioning

Key Highlights of India’s AI Governance Framework

The government’s guidelines outlined earlier this week focused on five major action areas:

1. India-Specific AI Risk Assessment System

Not all AI poses the same risk. India aims to create its own classification model, considering social diversity, linguistic complexity, and economic contexts.

2. Safe and Trusted AI Principles

Includes transparency, fairness, explainability, and accountability.

3. Sector-Specific AI Policies

Especially for finance, healthcare, telecom, governance, and national security.

4. Rapid Regulatory Response System

To handle deepfakes, cybercrimes, algorithmic bias, and harmful AI use.

5. AI Infrastructure & Sandboxes

Encouraging startups to innovate within structured compliance guidelines.

India AI Summit 2025: What to Expect

The India AI Summit scheduled for February will focus heavily on the country’s progress across all components of the governance framework. Ministries and regulators have been instructed to work collaboratively so that India presents a unified policy vision.

The Summit will discuss:

• National AI guideline implementation
• AI safety and risk standards
• Industry-regulator collaboration
• AI research ecosystem strengthening
• International cooperation on AI governance

With AIGG and TPEC being established ahead of the summit, India aims to demonstrate structured, responsible leadership in global AI governance.

Industry Perspective: What NASSCOM Says

Industry group NASSCOM has emphasised that the most important next step is the creation of:

• Practical regulatory sandboxes
• Tool-building programmes for risk assessment
• Clear guidelines for companies deploying AI
• Transparent processes for compliance

NASSCOM’s position aligns with global industry trends where regulatory sandboxes help companies innovate responsibly while staying compliant.

Conclusion: India’s AI Governance Group Marks a New Era of Responsible AI

The establishment of the AI Governance Group and Technology and Policy Expert Committee is a timely and visionary step for India. As artificial intelligence becomes deeply embedded across sectors, a structured and unified governance mechanism is essential.

With strong leadership, multi-regulator coordination, expert advisory support, and a dedicated focus on AI safety, India is positioning itself as a global leader in responsible, ethical, and trusted AI development.

The next few months will be crucial as these bodies begin their work and the nation prepares for the India AI Summit 2025.

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