New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Monday emphasised that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will fundamentally change every aspect of life, underscoring India’s need to be among the frontrunners in developing and adopting AI technologies.
The minister was speaking at the launch of the AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap: The Opportunity for Accelerated Economic Growth and the NITI Frontier Tech Repository, where he highlighted that AI has emerged as the most significant technological development in recent decades.
AI compared to the internet revolution
Vaishnaw said the impact of AI will be as transformative as the advent of the internet.
“Over a period of the last few decades, the biggest change which has happened and the biggest factor which has joined this constellation of technologies is AI because AI is now affecting practically everything that we do. Like the Internet, which changed everything that we did, AI is also going to fundamentally change the way we work, the way we live, the way we consume,” he said.
According to the minister, ensuring India becomes a leader in AI technologies is critical for its economic future.
Technology as the foundation of growth
Vaishnaw noted that India is now in a position to dream of a Viksit Bharat—a developed India—thanks to robust and inclusive growth driven by technology. He asserted that no country can aspire to become developed without mastery of critical technologies.
“These technologies are telecom technology, semiconductors, electric vehicles, biotech, some of the most complex engines, quantum, rare earth, and a few more. These are technologies which we will have to master, we’ll have to adopt, we’ll have to develop talent pipeline, and we will have to make sure that we remain in the frontier,” he explained.
Research, development and talent key to progress
The minister underlined that India’s path towards leadership in these areas will rest on two strong pillars: research and development, and building a deep talent pool. He added that these priorities have been integrated into nearly every technology initiative launched by the government.
Semiconductor mission as a model
Citing the semiconductor mission launched in 2022, Vaishnaw recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid out a clear 20-year roadmap to develop a robust ecosystem anchored in talent development.
“Today we have 278 institutions, universities, and colleges where students are using the latest semiconductor design tools. They are designing chips, and 20 of those chips got manufactured recently at SCL (Semi-Conductor Laboratory) Mohali. Another batch of 15 is currently undergoing manufacture, taping out at SCL Mohali,” he said.
India’s global technology ambitions
The minister concluded that India’s focus on AI, semiconductors, and other critical technologies will be crucial to ensuring its position as a global technology leader in the coming decades.
He said the government remains committed to developing policies, research infrastructure, and educational programmes to create a future-ready workforce capable of driving India’s technological growth.
Conclusion
With AI, semiconductors, and frontier technologies at the core of its development vision, India aims to secure a position among the leading global powers in technology. Vaishnaw’s remarks reinforced the government’s long-term vision of using innovation as a foundation for a Viksit Bharat.