What the World Economic Forum Collaboration Means for India’s AI

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India’s push toward a digital future has entered a defining phase. From laying the groundwork with Aadhaar and UPI to now envisioning a trillion-dollar digital economy, the country is increasingly seen as a torchbearer in inclusive and scalable tech innovation. And at the center of this shift lies a unique collaboration between India and the World Economic Forum.

“India has an opportunity to create a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2025, benefitting all sectors and people,” said S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

One of the cornerstones of this opportunity is AI for India 2030, a multi-stakeholder initiative co-hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, NASSCOM, and the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, India (C4IR India). 

Launched in January 2024, the initiative aligns with the national IndiaAI Mission to promote ethical, inclusive, and context-sensitive AI adoption at scale.

In an exclusive interaction with MIT SMR India, Purushottam Kaushik, Head of C4IR India at the World Economic Forum, said, “Yes, Aadhaar and UPI have laid a strong foundation. But as AI begins to shape the world in fundamental ways, I would say we’re still in phase zero. The real wave of AI is yet to come, and data is its fuel.”

Taking note of the need to unlock enterprise and private datasets through robust, privacy-preserving frameworks, Kaushik said, “Currently, most AI models rely heavily on public data. However, the real value lies in enterprise data, which is often locked away. Unlocking it responsibly is key to building intelligent systems for both local and global needs.”

This is where Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) must evolve into DPI for AI. Citing the success of the account aggregator framework in finance, Kaushik noted the need for similar mechanisms for tech-legal, consent-based data sharing. He said that we need systems that verify anonymization, audit use, and ensure responsibility, especially when private players handle sensitive data.

The Two Frontiers: Diffusion and Leadership

According to Kaushik, India must walk a tightrope between diffusion and leadership. “AI for Bharat” is not just about access, it’s about meaningful inclusion.

“You can’t just drop a large language model into Meghalaya and expect it to work. Only around 11% of Indians speak English. So voice, language, and cultural context are critical. We need localized AI, trained on regional data, in local languages, for real-world challenges,” he said. 

At the same time, strategic thinking is essential for global leadership. “Being an early mover doesn’t guarantee leadership. Strategic leadership in AI will depend on long-term thinking, not just speed. Take DeepSeek, for example, they improved on open-source models with better cost-performance tradeoffs.”

On-Ground Impact

C4IR India’s collaborations with state governments are already showing results. In Telangana’s Khammam district, the Saagu Baagu project has helped over 55,000 chilli farmers adopt AI for soil health insights, fertilizer and pesticide recommendations, and AI-based quality testing.

“In just one cropping season, farmer incomes increased by nearly $800 per acre, essentially doubling earnings,” Kaushik said. The second phase of the project now spans 10 districts and five crops.

In Meghalaya, ASHA workers are using AI-powered tools to detect cancer early in a region with one of the highest cancer mortality rates in India. “With AI, frontline workers are predicting and identifying potential cancer cases much earlier, getting patients into care sooner.”

“These are not pilot projects that sit in labs. These are scalable examples of AI making a tangible difference,” he said. 

A Two-Way Global Dialogue

India is not just consuming global AI knowledge, it is also shaping it. “We bring in global learnings from Saudi Arabia, Africa, the US, and Europe, and contextualize them for India. At the same time, our field pilots, in places like Arunachal Pradesh or Meghalaya, are shared back with the world. It’s a two-way street,” Kaushik said.

Giving a note to entrepreneurs navigating India’s evolving AI landscape, Kaushik had two words of advice: persistence and clarity.

“There’s no dearth of support in India, whether it’s coding talent, knowledge, or funding. The real gap is in articulation, clearly communicating what you’re building and why it matters.”

He said that one shouldn’t treat AI as a theme of the year. Ask yourself: Do I genuinely believe in this problem? What’s the evidence? If the answers are strong, then go back to first principles and build.