New Delhi: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a horizontal, cross-cutting technology that can transform lives and accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047, said S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), at a high-level panel discussion on AI at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 in New Delhi.

The session, hosted by MeitY, brought together leaders from government, academia, and industry to deliberate on building a responsible and inclusive AI ecosystem. It also set the stage for the upcoming India-AI Impact Summit 2026.

Highlighting the IndiaAI Mission, Krishnan said AI has the potential to enhance quality of life and drive innovation. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, and CEO, IndiaAI Mission, said the Mission's seven-pillar strategy aims to bridge gaps through affordable computing, quality datasets, foundation models, startup support, and tools for trustworthy AI.

Dr. Sridhar Vembu of Zoho Corporation emphasized developing indigenous AI pathways amid limited resources, while experts like Dr. Geeta Manjunath, Dr. Sriram Raghavan, and Prof. Balaraman Ravindran underscored ethical governance, open innovation, and sectoral applications of AI.