India Moves Towards AI Regulation: IT Minister Highlights Need for Balanced Approach Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, emphasized the importance of addressing fake news while upholding freedom of speech

Trends in India suggest the government may soon introduce specific laws to regulate bad Artificial Intelligence (AI). Speaking in Parliament recently, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, emphasized the importance of addressing fake news while upholding freedom of speech. He also expressed openness to enacting new legislation to tackle AI-related challenges effectively.

Highlighting the accountability of social media platforms, particularly in the context of fake news and fabricated narratives, the Minister said: "It is a major challenge that societies across the world are facing—the accountability of social media, particularly in the context of fake news and the creation of fake narratives." Vaishnaw underscored the need for societal and legal accountability, which he noted requires significant consensus. He added, "These are the issues where freedom of speech comes on one hand, and accountability, along with the creation of a proper real news network, comes on the other. These matters need to be debated, and if the House agrees and there is a consensus in society, we can come up with new laws."

Vaishnaw also highlighted several government-led projects under the "Safe & Trusted AI" initiative, aimed at addressing privacy and AI governance. These include Machine Unlearning by IIT Jodhpur, focused on developing generative foundation models to manage and remove undesired data; Synthetic Data Generation by IIT Roorkee, designed to mitigate bias in datasets; AI Bias Mitigation Strategy by NIT Raipur, which targets the development of responsible AI solutions in healthcare; an Explainable AI Framework by DIAT Pune and Mindgraph Technology, aimed at enhancing privacy-preserving AI for security; and a Privacy Enhancing Strategy, a collaborative effort led by IIT Delhi and other institutions to create privacy-centric AI frameworks. These initiatives underscore India's commitment to fostering innovation while addressing critical concerns like bias, privacy, and accountability in AI systems.

The Minister emphasised India's leadership in global AI governance. "India is one of the leading countries shaping global thought on AI governance. Last year, India became the chair of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) and hosted the Summit this year. India's voice continues to hold significant weight in discussions with international bodies, including the OECD and United Nations," he said. Vaishnaw emphasized the importance of fostering robust debates and innovations among leaders to effectively address these global concerns.