Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined India’s ‘MANAV’ vision for artificial intelligence while addressing global leaders at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The MANAV mission lays out a human-centric framework, and Modi said it would guide the development of AI “for the welfare of humanity in the AI-based world of the 21st century.”
Modi Unveils ‘MANAV’ Vision for Human-Centric AI at Global Summit in Delhi
Unveiling the ‘MANAV’ vision at the AI Impact Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched India as the moral and demographic anchor of the AI age, advocating ethical governance and public-good innovation
PM Modi Speaking at AI Impact Summit PIB
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Modi positioned India as a natural hub for this transformation and highlighted the country’s diversity, demography, and democracy to underscore his stance. He argued that AI models capable of succeeding at India’s scale and complexity could be deployed globally, owing to its young population.
“Manav means human, and the MANAV Vision says M — moral and ethical systems: AI should be based on ethical guidance,” Modi articulated while explaining the doctrine. “A — accountable governance means transparent rules and robust oversight; N — national sovereignty means whose data, his right; A — accessible and inclusive means AI should be a multiplier, not a monopoly; V — valid and legitimate means AI should be lawful and verifiable.”
He added, “This MANAV vision of India will become an important link for the welfare of humanity in the AI-based world of the 21st century.”
Modi called for using AI for public good rather than as a competitive weapon and urged the need to safeguard trust in the digital age. He invited innovators and creators to design and develop in India.
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However, he acknowledged the limitations and uncertainty surrounding the social and economic impact of AI in an evolving world. “Our future is like a new opportunity. This is the time for humans and intelligent systems to work together — an era where humans and intelligent systems co-create and collaborate,” he said.
Modi welcomed global leaders on Thursday, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
The AI Impact Summit, concluding on Friday, has hosted over 500 global tech leaders, including Google’s Sundar Pichai and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, 150 academics and researchers, and 400 chief technology officers, vice presidents, and philanthropists.