UNESCO And MeitY Wrap Up AI Readiness Consultations With Focus On Ethical AI In India
The UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, in partnership with the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Ikigai Law, hosted the fifth and final stakeholder consultation on the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) at the Shangri-La Eros Hotel in New Delhi on June 3. Over 200 experts from government, academia, industry, and civil society convened to strategize the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in India.
This consultation marked the culmination of a series of five sessions held across New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Guwahati, organized under the joint AI RAM initiative by UNESCO and MeitY’s IndiaAI Mission. The initiative is focused on crafting an India-specific AI policy report that identifies strengths, pinpoints growth opportunities, and offers actionable recommendations for ethical AI adoption across various sectors. The RAM serves as a diagnostic tool to bolster governmental capacity for AI regulation and institutional governance.
The event commenced with remarks from Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for South Asia, who advocated for an ‘ethics-by-design’ approach to AI development. He emphasized that true inclusivity in AI demands embedding ethical principles from the start and reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to supporting India’s vision for a transparent and trustworthy AI ecosystem. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at MeitY, CEO of the IndiaAI Mission, and Director General of the National Informatics Centre, delivered a keynote address, highlighting India’s pro-innovation stance on developing safe and reliable AI applications. Singh outlined key initiatives, including the AI Kosh platform for datasets, the development of foundation models, and support for Responsible AI projects under the mission’s Safe and Trusted AI pillar.
A panel discussion on “Safety and Ethics in India’s AI Ecosystem” featured notable experts, including Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog; Kavita Bhatia, COO of the IndiaAI Mission; Eunsong Kim, Programme Specialist at UNESCO; Dr. B. Ravindran, Head of Data Science and AI at IIT-Madras; and Mayank Vatsa, Professor of Computer Science at IIT-Jodhpur. The panel delved into emerging policy frameworks, regulatory mechanisms, and governance strategies to promote ethical AI adoption. Ghosh underscored the challenge of balancing AI’s vast potential with its inherent risks, while Bhatia highlighted the collaborative approach of the IndiaAI Mission in fostering both innovation and responsibility.
The consultation included breakout sessions that explored governance, infrastructure, workforce readiness, and sectoral AI adoption, with a dedicated focus on youth participation in AI development and governance. These discussions provided critical insights for shaping India’s AI policy roadmap. The RAM framework, customized to India’s context, evaluates the AI ecosystem across legal, regulatory, social, cultural, economic, scientific, educational, and technological dimensions using both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Implemented by independent consultants and supported by a diverse national team, the RAM ensures a tailored approach to AI governance.
