Modi outlines MANAV vision for AI, positions India as global hub for ethical and sovereign artificial intelligence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled India’s MANAV vision for artificial intelligence, laying out a human-centric framework focused on ethics, accountability, and data sovereignty, while positioning the country as a global hub for AI development and governance.

Speaking at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Modi called on innovators and companies to “design in India” and “develop for the world,” signalling India’s ambition to become both a major AI innovation centre and a global rule-setter in emerging technologies. He said India’s scale, diversity, and talent base make it uniquely positioned to build AI solutions that can be deployed globally.

The MANAV doctrine outlines five core principles to guide AI development. These include moral and ethical systems to ensure responsible use, accountable governance with transparent oversight, national sovereignty over data, accessible and inclusive AI deployment, and valid and lawful systems to ensure legitimacy and trust.

Modi emphasised that artificial intelligence should be developed as a global public good rather than a competitive weapon, calling for international cooperation and global standards to address risks such as deepfakes, misinformation, and digital trust. He highlighted the need for authenticity verification mechanisms, including watermarking and content verification systems, to maintain public confidence in digital information.

He also noted that the long-term economic and employment impact of AI remains uncertain, drawing parallels with the early internet era, when the scale of transformation was difficult to predict. Modi said the future of AI would be shaped by choices made today by governments, companies, and societies.

The summit, attended by representatives from over 100 countries, reflects growing global attention on AI governance, infrastructure, and economic impact. India’s emphasis on ethical frameworks, sovereign infrastructure, and inclusive access highlights its strategy to play a central role in shaping the future global AI ecosystem.

The MANAV vision signals India’s intent not only to adopt AI at scale but also to influence how the technology is governed, developed, and deployed globally.