Experts urge custom AI safety framework for India instead of US copy

UPDATE - follow-up to India needs its own AI safety framework, not a copy of US pact: Industry experts: Industry leaders argue that India must create its own artificial intelligence safety rules tailored to local languages and scale rather than copying the voluntary White House Accord on Super Intelligence signed by US President Donald Trump and major tech firms on September 29.

Expert Views

Nasscom Chairman and Fractal Group CEO Srikanth Velamakanni stated that India should use a domestic commitment as a building block for global safety, noting that the US pact relies on self-policing while the EU takes a binding approach and China uses state control. Soumen Mandal from Counterpoint Research suggested taking inspiration from the US while speeding up local ecosystem efforts, and Amit Khanna of Grant Thornton Bharat emphasized that Indian rules must focus on vernacular languages and prevent knowledge asymmetry. Gnani.ai co-founder and CEO Ganesh Gopalan added that global and local models must face the same rules to ensure a level playing field.

Regulation Debate

Experts remain split on whether self-regulation is enough, with Velamakanni calling voluntary measures insufficient and pointing to aviation and pharmaceuticals as models requiring strong technical regulators. Mandal and Khanna both proposed a hybrid approach combining voluntary standards with mandatory rules for high-risk sectors like defense and banking, drawing on provisions such as the IT Amendment Rules, 2026. Meanwhile, the Indian government is working on its own framework, with IT Secretary S Krishnan and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw previously noting that new laws may be needed to handle modern AI challenges.

Context

India's growing digital economy and expanding developer base mean that regulatory decisions made today will shape how technology is deployed across critical sectors for years to come. Policymakers face the delicate task of protecting public safety and user privacy without placing heavy legal burdens on local startups that could slow down home-grown innovation.