India’s AI moment and the need for political maturity

It is increasingly disturbing—indeed sickening—to witness how warped sections of India’s political ecosystem have become. Political opposition is not only a democratic right; it is essential. But what we are witnessing today goes far beyond principled dissent. It has descended into reflexive hostility, personal animus, and an almost pathological urge to undermine the nation’s interests simply because an initiative carries the government’s imprint.

Congress hit a new low on Friday—a shirtless protest at an international AI venue. Instead of remorse, the party, led by Rahul Gandhi, doubled down, insisting nothing was wrong. This wasn’t dissent; it was deliberate embarrassment. A party that once claimed national stature should hang its head in shame for repeatedly tarnishing India’s image on global platforms. It is absolute shamelessness on the part of the Congress. In fact, it is an attempt to sabotage such events and is nothing short of an anti-India and anti-democratic act.

The words of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev resonate powerfully in this context. “Anger, resentment and hatred are poisons you drink hoping someone else will die,” he says. Science backs this metaphor. Chronic anger alters body chemistry, raises stress hormones, and damages mental and physical health. Politics driven by resentment is no different—it corrodes institutions, poisons discourse and ultimately harms the very society it claims to represent.

This is precisely why the conduct of sections of the opposition during India’s recent global AI summit is so troubling. Governments can—and should—be challenged on policy, governance failures, and ideological choices. But there are moments when the nation must speak in one voice. International summits that place India at the centre of a critical global conversation are one such moment. “Nation first” cannot be an empty slogan reserved for election speeches; it must be a guiding principle in moments that define India’s global standing.

The AI summit held at Bharat Mandapam was one such defining moment. Billed as one of the most ambitious gatherings on artificial intelligence ever hosted in the Global South, it brought together government leaders, global technology CEOs, policymakers from dozens of countries, and thousands of startups. Expectations were understandably high. The stated aim was clear: to position India as a central player in AI governance, innovation, and ethical deployment—especially from the perspective of developing and emerging economies.

In many respects, the summit did succeed. It placed India firmly in the global AI conversation at a time when artificial intelligence is still in its formative phase—and when its risks are becoming as significant as its promises. AI today is not merely about productivity tools or chatbots; it is inching closer to domains involving autonomous decision-making, misinformation at scale, and even the potential misuse of biological and chemical knowledge. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s articulation of the MANAV mantra—Moral, Accountable, National, Accessible, and Valid—was both timely and necessary.

Admittedly, translating such lofty principles into practice will be challenging. The AI ecosystem is marked by cut-throat competition, inflated valuations, and a race for dominance where cooperation often takes a back seat.

Many global AI firms boast astronomical market valuations without commensurate revenues. In such an environment, how far ethical restraint and global cooperation can truly go remains an open question. There are also unresolved anxieties: Will AI replace jobs? Will it deepen inequality? Will it serve humanity—or eventually undermine it? These are debates that require serious, sustained engagement.

On the substantive front, however, the summit delivered several noteworthy outcomes.

The “New Delhi Frontier AI Commitments” emphasised responsible, inclusive, and context-aware AI development. The focus on multilingual AI, culturally sensitive evaluation models, and real-world usage data marked an important departure from Western-centric frameworks that often overlook the realities of the Global South. India’s attempt to shape governance norms that reflect the needs of developing societies was both ambitious and necessary.

The international response added further credibility. Leaders from Europe and elsewhere publicly acknowledged India’s growing role as an AI hub, while technology CEOs signalled interest in long-term collaboration. Investment commitments announced during the summit by both global tech majors and Indian corporates have the potential to catalyse AI infrastructure, data centres, research ecosystems, and talent development over the coming years. Equally important were discussions on interoperable regulations and collective responses to threats such as deepfakes and algorithmic bias, positioning India as a bridge between competing global regulatory philosophies.

Yet no honest assessment can ignore the shortcomings. Logistical and organisational lapses did mar the experience for several participants. These failures were acknowledged, and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw publicly apologised—an act of accountability that should have been welcomed. Unfortunately, instead of engaging with the substance of the summit, sections of the opposition and a chorus of self-appointed commentators—many with only a superficial or no understanding of AI—reduced the event to a “PR spectacle.”

This knee-jerk cynicism reveals less about the summit and more about the shrinking intellectual bandwidth of political discourse.

For many startups and young innovators, the summit was not about optics but opportunity—access to global networks, exposure to cutting-edge research, and alignment with international stakeholders. These intangible gains may not make for viral sound bites, but they matter immensely for a country aspiring to lead in a transformative technology.

The truth is that the summit’s outcomes are far from trivial. A governance narrative centred on inclusivity, multilingualism, and Global South participation could reshape international AI norms. Investments pledged could underpin growth for years. And India’s assertiveness in bringing non-Western perspectives into global tech governance is a necessary counterbalance in an increasingly polarised digital world.

However, credibility will ultimately depend on follow-through. Lofty declarations must translate into actionable policy, robust regulation, and consistent stakeholder engagement. Future summits must be logistically sound, genuinely inclusive, and substantively rewarding—not just for dignitaries, but for innovators, researchers, and practitioners. History will judge this AI summit not by the headlines it generated or the outrage it provoked, but by whether the ideas forged in Delhi evolve into frameworks that shape the future. For that to happen, India needs not just visionary leadership, but a political culture that is mature enough to rise above resentment—and place the nation above narrow partisan gain.

(The author is former Chief Editor of The Hans India)