India recorded 3 billion AI-related app downloads in 2024, far ahead of the US’ number of 1.5 billion and China’s 1.3 billion. India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index has improved to 39th in 2024 among 133 economies from the 81st position in 2015. The country now holds the seventh position in intangible asset intensity, surpassing the growth rates of many high-income economies. India secured the sixth spot in global intellectual property filings as per WIPO in 2023 and the country has improved its Network Readiness Index ranking from 79th in 2019 to 49th in 2025. The government at the centre has taken a lot of inputs from stakeholders and is continuously coming up with policies to make sure that AI gets due attention. It is very important to have an AI which is ethical, inclusive and trustworthy. The fear that some sections of society may have, about AI leading to undetected unethical practices will not be addressed “unless we, from the beginning, understand it with responsibility,\” FM Sitharaman said.
