| Expanding access to AI resources, Skills, and Technology Nationwide | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 3: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a central pillar of India's development journey. It is strengthening governance, improving public service delivery, and enabling solutions that can reach citizens at scale. For India, the democratisation of AI is essential to ensure that these benefits are widely shared and aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
What is Democratisation of AI?
Democratisation of AI refers to making artificial intelligence accessible, affordable and usable for a wide and diverse set of users. It goes beyond access to finished applications. It includes access to the core building blocks of AI such as computing power, datasets and model ecosystems. As these resources become available at scale, individuals and institutions are expanding what they can achieve with AI.
Democratising AI Applications for Public Impact
AI creates value only when it reaches people at scale. India's approach focuses on practical deployment across sectors so that AI improves everyday life and public services. Just as the internet and mobile phones transformed society through widespread use, AI is now following the same path. By prioritising applications that are easy to use and widely accessible, India is ensuring that AI delivers inclusive and measurable public impact.
Across key sectors, AI applications are already making a difference. In agriculture, AI supports farmers by predicting weather, identifying pest risks, and guiding irrigation and sowing decisions. Platforms such as Kisan e Mitra simplify access to government schemes, while the National Pest Surveillance System and Crop Health Monitoring use satellite and weather data to protect crops and improve income security. In healthcare, AI enables early disease detection, assists in analysing medical images, and strengthens telemedicine services, connecting rural patients with specialists and improving the quality and reach of care.
AI is also strengthening disaster preparedness. The India Meteorological Department uses AI to forecast rainfall, fog and extreme weather, while tools like the Advanced Dvorak Technique support cyclone intensity assessment and MausamGPT is being developed to offer real-time advisories. This widespread application is reflected in India's innovation landscape. As of January 2026, India ranks among the top three startup ecosystems globally, with over two lakh startups. Nearly 90 percent of these startups are estimated to be AI-powered in some form, highlighting how deeply AI has been integrated into innovation and problem-solving across the country.
Democratising Access to AI Infrastructure
Democratising AI requires ensuring that the foundational infrastructure powering artificial intelligence is open, affordable and widely accessible. India's approach is guided by its full AI stack, which spans applications, models, compute, infrastructure and energy, and treats these layers as interconnected national capabilities. Approved in March 2024 with a financial outlay of Rs 10,371.92 crore over five years, the IndiaAI Mission is laying the groundwork for this approach by expanding access, strengthening data availability and enabling responsible use of AI for public good.
Conclusion
India's approach to the democratisation of AI shows that scale, inclusion and innovation can progress together. The focus on affordability, openness and trust ensures that benefits of AI reach farmers, students, researchers, startups and public institutions alike. As India hosts the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, it also places this experience within a global context, offering a model shaped by the priorities of the Global South. The path ahead is clear. Democratising AI is not a one-time effort but a continuing commitment to ensure that technological progress strengthens societies, reduces inequalities and supports sustainable development for all. |
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